Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz are Pete Hegseth are the worst versions of men
This will embolden the "bros" to be even more toxic
Matt Gaetz and Pete Hegseth are the worst version of men. But then again so is adjudicated rapist Donald Trump—which explains why he picked these two despicable, unqualified white men to be his Attorney General and Secretary of Defense.
The red flags about Gaetz and Hegseth ranging from sexual misconduct to bigotry would deem them unfit to serve in any presidential administration--any administration except Trump’s that is. The reason being all Trump cares about is abject loyalty and both clearly have sworn allegiance to Trump--much in the same way Hitler required the members of the military swear allegiance to him above Germany.
But the history of these two men and the agencies they are nominated to head could not be more of a dangerous fit for our nation.
Let’s start with Matt Gaetz. One of the most jarring descriptions of him I heard was from Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc)--who has worked with Gaetz for years in Congress. I interviewed Pocan on Thursday who stated point blank that Gaetz is a “sociopath.” Pocan wasn’t joking. As the Wisconsin Democrat stated, “I never have met, and I probably shouldn't say this because he'll be attorney general someday, and I'm going to wind up in jail. But you know, a bigger sociopath I've never served with in office.”
When I asked Pocan if Gaetz was “dangerous,” he replied, “Oh, very much.” He added, “I hope that part of the investigation is putting holes in his backyard to see if there's any bodies, because it's only that kind of level of sociopathic that I sense out of him.” (You can watch my full interview with Rep Pocan below.)
A sociopath who doesn’t care about right or wrong and whose sole focus is helping Trump/himself acquire more power is not the combination you want as Attorney General. But this is who Trump wants.
As a reminder, the FBI is under the AG’s command—meaning Gaetz could send out agents to target Trump’s critics in an effort to silence dissent much like the Stasi did in East Germany. In fact, Gaetz has pledged point blank to do that from investigating “the Biden crime family” to organizations the GOP dislikes citing by name, Black Lives Matter.
Then there’s Gaetz’s peddling of disinfo about Jan 6 in defense of Trump--which will certainly continue as AG. Gaetz as a member of Congress repeatedly lied that the Jan 6 attack was actually the work of the FBI’s undercover agents. He has not only defended the Jan 6 terrorists but he literally apologized to the Jan 6 attackers, saying in 2023, “I just wanted to say how sorry I am that there are any Americans who are having to endure this two-tiered justice system.”
And in June 2022, he wrote on Twitter that he looked forward to the day when “the full extent of the federal government’s role in J6” is exposed. Well, as AG he would likely focus on that on Day One—resulting in lie-filled attacks on career government employees.
Then there is the fact that Gaetz was being investigated by the House Committee on Ethics. Per the House Committee’s June press statement, they were examining if Gaetz “engaged in sexual misconduct and/or illicit drug use, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gift, in violation of House Rules, laws, or other standards of conduct.”
Read that line from the House Ethics Committee again. Gaetz was not being investigated for one ethical violation--but for many.
Backing up the allegations versus Gaetz is ABC News’ new reporting that “the woman who was at the center of a yearslong Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations surrounding Rep. Matt Gaetz testified…he had sex with her when she was 17 years old.” And “one woman who said she attended a party with the Gaetz in 2017…told the committee that a payment from Gaetz was for sex.”
DOJ investigated whether Gaetz violated the law but closed the investigation in 2023. However, my contempt for Merrick Garland is well—documented as he has failed to hold Republicans from Trump down accountable for their crimes. The Ethics Committee report would’ve been released this week but Gaetz resigned from Congress to block it.
Then there is Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth—who has also been accused of sexual misconduct. And as we just learned Saturday The from Washington Post, Hegseth paid “hush money” to the woman to silence her.
It’s alleged that in Oct. 2017, Hegseth—whose second wife a month earlier had filed for divorce after she learned he had an affair and fathered a child with a Fox News producer—attended the California Federation of Republican Women conference.
The accuser per the Washington Post was assigned by the organization to ensure Hegseth made it back to his room and get to the airport on time for his flight. The women—who was married with children—alleges that when she escorted Hegseth back to his room, Hegseth raped her. Hegseth denies the allegation—claiming not only was the sex was consensual but that the mother of small children was actually the “aggressor in the encounter.”
The next day the woman went to the emergency room, where “she received a rape-kit examination that was positive for semen.” The woman then “filed a complaint with the police alleging she was sexually assaulted days after the Oct. 7, 2017, encounter in Monterey, California,” but the local district attorney did not bring charges.
How can Hegseth be Secretary of Defense given the sexual assault scandals that have plagued our military in the past?! And just last year, the Pentagon released data showing a significant increase in reports of sexual assault at America's military academies. Can any woman in the military have confidence they will be believed with a person like Hegseth heading the agency?!
Yet this is who Trump wants to head the nearly three million strong military. Beyond the sexual assault allegations, Hegseth doesn’t believe women should serve in combat and views “diversity” in the military as a weakness.
And very alarmingly, Hegseth is a right-wing religious extremist who is truly a fan of the Christian Crusades and a person who views Islam as the enemy. This explains why Hegseth has “spoken forcefully against the military's efforts to address domestic extremism, which he labeled a "purge."
Obviously, our nation could and should do far better than Gaetz and Hegseth in these positions. But then again, we believe the same when it comes to Trump being President again. Don’t be surprised if the spineless GOP Senate confirms one or both of these unqualified, dangerous individuals. The same GOP that demonizes every person of color as a “DEI Hire” celebrates white men who are despicable rapists.
My discussion with Rep Pocan about the 2024 election results, Matt Gaetz and more:
Add Speaker Johnson to that
As we say at CNI, narcissists of a feather flock together.