Pete Hegseth Given Brutal New Nickname By Pentagon Staffers, Report Says

Pentagon staffers are poking nosy astatine Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pinch a sadistic nickname, according to a study published Tuesday.

Several officials person reportedly referred to Hegseth arsenic “Dumb McNamara,” a comparison to erstwhile Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, who played a cardinal domiciled successful expanding U.S. engagement successful nan Vietnam War, existent and erstwhile U.S. officials told Zeteo Tuesday.

The erstwhile defense caput pushed truthful difficult for further U.S. engagement successful Vietman that immoderate dubbed it ‘“McNamara’s War.” The nickname is meant to return a jab astatine Hegseth’s hardline subject approach, comparing it to a section successful U.S. history that’s wide seen arsenic a major strategical failure.

The Independent has contacted nan Department of Defense for comment.

Hegseth has go 1 of nan strongest nationalist backers of President Donald Trump’s subject run successful Iran, openly backing nan administration’s fierce approach. Speaking astatine an arena successful Tennessee this week, Trump singled out nan erstwhile “Fox & Friends” big arsenic an early and eager supporter, saying, “Pete, I deliberation you were nan first 1 to speak up. You said, ‘Let’s do it.’”

McNamara, who started retired arsenic a businessman earlier moving into government, served nether Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to 1968. He regularly gave affirmative updates astir nan warfare successful Vietnam, contempt declassified documents later showing that he knew it had go a disaster, nan Daily Beast reports.

Estimates of deaths successful nan Vietnam War vary, but astir historians put nan full betwixt 2 cardinal and 3.5 cardinal people.

In 1967, McNamara ordered a classified study that would later beryllium known arsenic nan Pentagon Papers. The top-secret study examined nan history and decision-making down U.S. engagement successful Vietnam and yet raised superior questions astir nan strategy and justification for nan war.

Unlike McNamara, who later expressed regret complete his domiciled successful Vietnam, Hegseth has shown small denotation of reconsidering his stance. He has continued to advocator for forceful subject action.

“We discuss pinch bombs,” Hegseth said Tuesday. “You person a choice, arsenic we loiter complete nan apical of Tehran.”

The adjacent day, Hegseth stood astatine nan Pentagon’s first monthly believe work since nan Iran warfare began and prayed not for peace, but for what he called “overwhelming violence” against America’s enemies.

“Let each information find its people against nan enemies of righteousness and our awesome nation,” Hegseth said. “Give them contented successful each decision, endurance for nan proceedings ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming unit of action against those who merit nary mercy.”