Your Independent Journal from the Heartland
Nobody loves a war like “Pistol” Pete Hegseth. Dependably giddy and drunk on American military might, Donald Trump’s feckless Secretary of War (Defense) is the star of nearly every major press conference, briefing and interview remotely related to his boss’s war on Iran.
Hegseth is belle of the war ball — not because he’s a Rhodes Scholar or master in backchannel diplomacy — but because he’s a living, breathing litmus test for how much even MAGA nation will tolerate now that a barrel of crude is headed toward peak (inflation-adjusted) levels.
Hegseth isn’t the first war (defense) secretary to use the position for self-aggrandizement; but few have advanced themselves with such immunity from above.
Case in point the 2,000 and counting noncombatant Iranians killed due to U.S. and Israeli operations.
Just months before the bombing Hegseth axed nearly all funding for the Civilian Protection of Excellence, the primary U.S. agency designed to minimize civilian casualties in theaters of war. When asked about the collateral killings, the secretary is consistently glib and terse: The now “defunct” Iranian regime bears all responsibility. Next question…
But as these salivating-bulldog appearances proliferate, Hegseth is competing with himself to be even more unstable than the time before. Saturday Night Live castmember Colin Jost’s impersonation of Hegseth used to be farcical, way over the top. These days it's had to distinguish between the two.
The good news for Hegseth is this war writes a new script almost every day. The fluidity of Trump’s build-it-as-you-fly-it approach to armed conflict would horrify any engaged and aware defense secretary. For Hegseth it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to curry favor with MAGA Nation, show his half-crazy side and get paid for it.
But as of deadline, Hegseth’s dream job may soon depend less on MAGA Nation’s tolerance for bravado than the temporary ceasefire reportedly reached between the U.S. and Iran.
If the advertised two-week pause in action proves effective, Hegseth might soon be a warrior without a war: Trump’s penchant for pink-slipping upper level appointees who’ve served their purpose is well documented.
In that case Hegseth will have banked considerable name recognition with the far-right base, and positioned himself as a go-to Republican strongman.
Don Rollins is a Unitarian Universalist minister in Port Townsend, Wash.
Email donaldlrollins@gmail.com.
