Trump’s allies mistreat every shift in social norms as DEI initiatives.
Produced by ElevenLabs and News through sound (Noah) Using AI-powered narration, listen to more stories on the Noa app.
Donald Trump’s choice for secretary of defense is a former Army National Guard major. And former Fox News host Pete Hegseth has no clear policy or management experience that qualifies him to run the Department of Defense. What he had turned out to be a reactionary one—an obvious one. his point of view that women should no longer have combat roles in the military; In his latest book, The War on Warriors, he insinuates that women service members who received military honors for their bravery received the decoration because “agenda–
These comments reflect a broader trend among Trump and his allies to treat every evolution in social norms as a victory for “Awakening,” a DEI project that goes wrong, has women in combat roles “It doesn’t make us more efficient,” Hegseth said in an appearance on The Shawn Ryan Show’s podcast earlier this month. It “doesn’t make us lazier.” Hegseth said. seems to suggest that women and men cannot conduct themselves professionally together “Everything about the men and women serving together makes the situation more complicated,” he said, “and complications in combat make the deaths worse.”
Hegseth’s nomination may be in jeopardy after it was revealed he had paid legal compensation to a woman who accused him. is sexually harassing her At the meeting in Monterey California (Hegseth said their interaction was consensual. Local police Investigated the incident. According to the orders of the emergency room nurse who was treating the alleged victim. But no charges have been filed) after Trump announced his surprise choice. Advocates for women in the military were quick to criticize Hegseth’s views, even without mentioning him by name. In an interview with NBC News, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Thoroughly defend gender diversity once again.: That woman “Makes us stronger” Mark Milleywho served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Trump Pay more attention to this matter. “Don’t lecture me about women in wrestling,” Milley said at Wednesday’s event. “Women are in the fight… No one cares if it’s a man or a woman who pulls the trigger. You are still dead.”
Even these well-intentioned defenses of equality for female service members sound incomplete. It’s like what you’d expect to hear when men argue about what women can do. If the talking point isn’t clear, it’s probably because women’s roles in combat haven’t been in the news much since. The last restrictions were lifted in 2013.– By 2012, when President Barack Obama began considering formal regulatory changes More than 130 women Died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Even though they weren’t technically joining the fight. This is because women were excluded from combat roles such as artillery and close-quarters combat. But that distinction became harder to maintain as the nature of warfare changed. The Pentagon gradually Putting women in more dangerous roles to deal with the problem Personnel needsEven let them go on a submarine. But the military has upheld its long-standing prohibition against sending women to join. “Direct Ground Combat” or DGC
As the Iraq and Afghanistan wars progressed, Ultimately, the Ministry of Defense was reduced to a semantic game that downplayed the role of women. By assigning them to fight against the military. But they insist on the DGC’s limitations that they are not at war. The most ridiculous example involves the Marines, who launched the so-called female engagement team to patrol, contact and collect information from civilians in Muslim countries where strict cultural rules prohibit interaction between women and men. The women’s team was deployed to the Marine Expeditionary Unit. who are assigned to or attached to the combat unit But technically not in combat.
The Pentagon ended up changing the DGC ban because it was no longer sustainable for military purposes. Men of higher rank and more responsibility than Hegseth long ago realized that ending combat discrimination was not primarily a matter of women’s equality. It is a matter of military readiness. In addition, the distinction between combat and non-combat roles has begun to disappear. As an Army officer notice In 2012, in “Nonlinear Battlefield There are no safe jobs.”
So far, efforts to reverse the Obama administration changes have been limited. no less than that Because the presence of women in the military was not very revolutionary in practice. Physical fitness requirements continue to be strict. The Associated Press reported this week that only about 4,800 women Currently qualified for infantry, armor and artillery work, the standards still require the most elite combat roles, meaning the Navy’s special warfare crew includes just two women. And the Air Force special operations team has three people.
The numbers seem insignificant for a nominee who has built a reputation on broad grievances. And from the claim that the military puts DEI first. “The stupidest phrase in the world in the military is… ‘Our diversity is our strength,’” he said on The Shawn Ryan Show How much Trump agrees with Hegseth is unclear. Even if the president-elect complains.”wake up general“In the past. Unfortunately, this type of rhetoric doesn’t take into account much of what actually happens: Army rules change to keep up with how military personnel work in the real world. Even if it annoys the culture warriors on Fox News.
