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Global Briefing: US defence secretary’s campaign against ‘wokeness’ is causing unease among some Republicans
US defence secretary’s campaign against ‘wokeness’ is causing unease among some RepublicansGood morning, I’m Jack Power, Europe correspondent for The Irish Times based in Brussels, and filling in today for Denis Staunton while he is away.
The chaotic tussle on the home front claimed another high-profile casualty this week. Dan Driscoll, the army’s top civilian leader, tendered his resignation, following months of tension. Driscoll had clashed with Hegseth over the defence secretary’s decision to fire or sideline more and more battle-tested military officers and generals, leaving the army and other branches light on leaders as Washington struggles to prosecute its war in Iran.
António Guterres: ‘Superpowers need to understand things have changed’ Hegseth has led a campaign to purge what he says are “woke” tendencies in the branches of the US military.against “fat generals and admirals” working in the Pentagon, the headquarters of the defence department – or, in Trump-speak, the Department of War. What has really worried the military brass is how Hegseth has blocked the promotion of several lower-level officers, often women and members of minorities, to the rank of one-star general and other posts, overruling assessments recommending their advancement based on their records of military service.
It is unusual for the Pentagon chief to intervene in such run-of-the-mill appointments and doing so brought Hegseth into conflict with Driscoll and senior generals. It has also caused unease within Republican ranks on Capitol Hill, which may cause him headaches down the line. Hegseth hasn’t shied away from clearing house in the upper echelons of the military either. He sacked army chief of staff Randy George in April, a key position that has yet to be properly filled.
Navy secretary John Phelan was fired around the same time. A former Fox News host, Hegseth was in jeopardy himself for a period. He had a rocky start and it appeared US president Donald Trump might cast him overboard, but his position is much more secure now. The recent departure of Driscoll, the army secretary, had appeared inevitable for the last while.
Driscoll brought his grievances to the White House last week and reportedly laid out his concerns about the state of the military under Hegseth, highlighting difficulties caused by the spate of firings and stops put on certain promotions by the defence secretary. Driscoll had been keen for the army to embrace drone warfare and other emerging technologies. That ran up against Hegseth’s chest-thumping, back-to-basics vision for the US armed forces.
The Trump administration will have a tricky time steering picks to fill the vacancies left by Driscoll and George through confirmation hearings in the Senate, where Republicans hold a slim majority. Two figures loyal to Hegseth, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, and Christopher LaNeve, who is acting up as army chief of staff, have been mentioned as candidates for the respective top jobs.
The votes of Republican lawmakers who keep a close ear to the views of senior military leaders may be hard to win. Please let me know what you think and send me your comments, thoughts or suggestions for topics you would like to see covered toPete Hegseth’s military purge comes at a risky moment for PentagonChristy Moore takes €660,000 dividend from his businessFour arrested after suspected knife attack at Ranelagh shop
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