What does Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense think about the CCP and the Russia-Ukraine war | Trump Cabinet | Pete Hegseth | Hegseth

[The Epoch Times, November 15, 2024](Comprehensive report by Epoch Times reporter Xia Yu) US President-elect Trump stated on the evening of November 12 that he would nominate Pete Hegseth as the US Secretary of Defense. At a time when the United States is deeply involved in the Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East, and the Chinese Communist Party is eyeing the Indo-Pacific region, the outside world is paying close attention to the views of defense minister candidates on these hot issues.

Hegseth, co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend,” served in Afghanistan and Iraq and earned the Combat Infantry Badge. During his time at Fox News, he developed a friendship with Trump, who frequently appeared on the show, the Associated Press reported.

Mark Shanahan, an American political expert and associate professor at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, told Newsweek that Trump was attracted by Hegseth’s appeal on television. “While Hegseth wasn’t a big fan of Trump at first, he (now) has become an unquestioning fan,” Shanahan said.

Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, also told The Associated Press that Trump was “tired of fighting with defense secretaries” and therefore chose one “loyal to him.” people.

If confirmed by the Senate, Hegseth will run the federal government’s largest department, which last year had a budget of $850 billion and oversees nearly 3 million civilian and military personnel, many of whom are deployed around the world.

As Trump builds his national security team, the outside world is paying attention to Hegseth’s views on the Chinese Communist Party and Russia.

Communist Party of China

An Army National Guard veteran, Hegseth is neither a retired general nor a former government official with high-level national security experience, making Trump’s choice unusual. But when Hegseth appeared in the media, he revealed that he held a tough stance against the CCP.

Earlier this month, Hegseth claimed on YouTube’s Sean Ryan Show that China was “building a military specifically designed to defeat the United States” and leveraging its supply chain expertise in technology and manufacturing. ) dominance to accumulate global influence.

He said the CCP’s goal is to take over Taiwan to control Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, which produces most of the world’s advanced chips.

Hegseth said that the Chinese Communist Party has great ambitions. It not only attempts to dominate the region, but also has long-term ambitions for global dominance. To achieve its goal, it can only defeat the United States. Therefore, Beijing “is building an army dedicated to defeating the United States of America.” .

Hegseth also published a book in which he criticized the Pentagon for “following the rest of our country toward the precipice of cultural chaos and weakness.”

Russia-Ukraine war

If Hegseth’s nomination is confirmed by the Senate, he will take over the Pentagon. The United States is currently assisting Ukraine in fighting Russia and participating in affairs in the Middle East. The United States has provided huge amounts of weapons to Ukraine.

Therefore, as the war in Ukraine has continued for more than two years, many people’s eyes are focused on what Trump Administration 2.0 means for the war in Ukraine. Trump has previously opposed continued U.S. spending heavily on aid to Ukraine and insisted he could end the war quickly.

Regarding the war, Hegseth said on Fox News’ “The Faulkner Focus” in February 2022: “What’s happening in Ukraine is important. But it’s not the same as the crime I see on the streets, “It all pales in comparison to the wokeness I see in the culture, the inflation I see in my wallet, the real border I care about, which is the open southern border of the United States.”

Hegseth once said that the United States should focus on the CCP. In a YouTube interview last week, he reiterated that the Chinese government’s military buildup was to defeat the United States in a war and warned that there were Chinese spies in the United States.

He has also been an outspoken opponent of “woke” policies within the U.S. military and its leadership, saying people involved in diversity, equity or inclusion policies “have to go.”

In the same podcast, Hegseth also said that whatever the combat standards were in 1995, “we have to use these as the standard.”

Pro-Israel and Iran hawk

Hegseth supported Israel while reporting on the Gaza war. He produced a series of reports on Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and interviewed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in March.

He also has a tough stance on Iran, calling Iran an “evil regime” after Iranian commander General Qasem Soleimani was killed by the Trump administration in 2020.

Hegseth’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, Israel, and Iran is very similar to that of Secretary of State nominee Rubio.

How did the Senate react?

Trump’s selection of Hegseth was welcomed by many prominent Republicans, but reactions from others were more diverse.

North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis told The Associated Press the choice was “interesting”; Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville said he “had to consider it.” ” views on this appointment.

Incoming national security adviser Walz said Hagseth “has the courage” to achieve “real reform” at the Pentagon. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said the job “should not be an entry-level position.”

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren posted on the X platform that appointing Hegseth as defense secretary “will make us less safe and must be rejected.”

Editor in charge: Ye Ziwei#