Incoming vice-president says people who ‘committed violence’ shouldn’t be pardoned as surveys suggest blanket pardons would be unpopular with Americans
The excessive drinking and marital infidelity Pete Hegseth is reported to have engaged in as a civilian would have put him at risk of disciplinary action, had it happened while he was in uniform. The Associated Press reports that military officials have grown uneasy with the prospect of him leading the defense department.
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If Pete Hegseth were still in uniform, his extramarital affairs and a decision to flatly ignore a combat commander’s directive would not just be drawing the attention of senators – they could have run afoul of military law.
That is raising questions among current and former defense leaders and veterans about whether Hegseth would be able to enforce discipline in the ranks if confirmed as President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary. Hegseth would oversee more than 2 million troops who could be disciplined or kicked out of the service for the same behavior he has acknowledged or been accused of in the past.