Controversies Surrounding Pete Hegseth

Pete Hegseth, nominated for Defense Secretary under President-elect Trump, has faced scrutiny for his controversial views on women in combat roles and a past sexual assault allegation. Additionally, he was removed from national guard duty during the Biden inauguration due to concerns of him being an insider threat, linked partly to a tattoo associated with extremist groups. His writings reflect a viewpoint that diversity recruiting efforts in the military have alienated white Americans, claiming that it creates an environment where they feel unwelcome. These assertions have drawn attention to the military's demographic makeup, which shows that white service members are overrepresented compared to national census data.