Ben Hodges: This Is Already a Strategic Defeat | DW News

Apr 8, 2026 | In a crucial moment in history, Deutsche Welle’s Washington Bureau Chief Ines Pohl sits down with retired three-star General Ben Hodges.

From escalating tensions with Iran to questions about U.S. leadership, Hodges delivers a stark warning — calling recent rhetoric "appalling" and raising concerns about America’s credibility, alliances, and strategic direction.

‘A Very Dangerous Person’: Alarm as Pete Hegseth Revels in Carnage of Iran War

Screenshot taken from this Guadian article. | Pete Hegseth at a Pentagon briefing earlier this week. | Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
THE GUARDIAN: Critics say brash, bombastic Fox News host out of his depth to guide US military through murky new Middle East conflict

Brash and bellicose, he sounded more like a cartoon bully than a sombre statesman. “Death and destruction from the sky all day long,” Pete Hegseth, wearing a red, white and and blue tie and pocket square, bragged to reporters at the Pentagon near Washington. “This was never meant to be a fair fight, and it is not a fair fight. We are punching them while they’re down, which is exactly how it should be.”

Hegseth, 45, a former Fox News TV host who now commands the world’s most powerful military, has this week become the face of Donald Trump’s war in Iran. That has set off for alarm bells for critics who warn that the Secretary of Defense – pointedly rebranded “Secretary of War” – has rapidly transformed the Pentagon into the staging ground for an ideological and religious crusade.

With machismo, Christian nationalism and callousness toward the lives of US troops, they say, Hegseth’s puerile displays on TV are aimed at sating Trump’s desire for a warmonger worthy of the manosphere. This was reinforced by a lurid social media video that intersperses clips from Hollywood blockbusters such as Braveheart, Gladiator, Superman and Top Gun with Hegseth and real kill-shot footage of the attacks in Iran. » | David Smith in Washington | Sunday, March 8, 2026

Thom Hartmann: The US Military Thinks War with Iran Will Bring Jesus Back!

Mar 4, 2026 | Pete Hegseth is using our military to further his own drastic beliefs. Who will help them?

These are some of the nicknames the US Military use for Pete Hegseth: Pete Hagueseth, Secretary of War Crimes, Kegseth, Whiskey Leaks or WhiskiLeaks, and WhiskeyPete / Whisky Pete! 😊 — Mark

GOP Congressman: Dead Iranian Children Were Targeted by US Military

Mar 2, 2026 | Jesse talks about the stark differences between Republicans and Democrats, and how moments like this highlight them. Anna Paulina Luna beats the drum of war that she says isn't a war (even though Trump himself calls it one). And after the bombing of a girls' school in Iran, Republican Congressman Randy Fine said, "Every one of those targets is a military target!"

Strong language alert!

Steve Schmidt & Jason Crow: Trump Doesn't See A Problem He Thinks He Can't Bomb His Way Out Of

Steve Schmidt sits down with ‪@ rep jason crow‬, a former Army Ranger and Bronze Star recipient, to talk about the prospect of Donald Trump using the US military or engaging in conflict to distract from the chaos sweeping his administration.

Trump Is Slowly Losing the Support of the US Military | Superpowers

Jan 23, 2026 | On today's episode of Superpowers, James is joined by Lt Col Daniel Davis, a former US Army Officer to discuss how Trump's first year in office has impacted his relationship with the US military.

U.S. Captures Venezuelan Leader, Trump Says

THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump announced that U.S. forces had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” and were flying President Nicolás Maduro and his wife out of the country. The Trump administration had been building pressure on Mr. Maduro for months.

President Trump said on Saturday that the United States had captured the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and was flying him out of Venezuela, in what would be a stunning culmination to a monthslong campaign by Mr. Trump’s administration to oust the authoritarian leader.

Mr. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, his social media platform, and said that the United States had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” in an operation that was conducted “in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement.” He said that Mr. Maduro’s wife had also been captured.

In a brief phone interview with The New York Times after the announcement, Mr. Trump celebrated the success of the mission to capture the Venezuelan president. “A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people,” he said. “It was a brilliant operation, actually.”

When asked if he had sought congressional authority for the operation or what is next for Venezuela, Mr. Trump said he would address those matters during a news conference at 11 a.m. at Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence in Palm Beach, Fla.
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Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, speaking on a state-run television station after Mr. Trump’s announcement, said that Mr. Maduro’s location was unknown and asked Mr. Trump for proof of life.

Earlier on Saturday, the government of Venezuela accused the United States of carrying out military attacks in the capital, Caracas, and other parts of the country after large explosions were reported at a military base in the city.

The Venezuelan government declared a state of emergency in response to the attacks and said they had occurred in Caracas and in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, according to a statement from the Venezuelan communications ministry.

Venezuela “rejects, repudiates and denounces” U.S. military aggression, the statement said. It also called on “on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.” Live Updates » | Anatoly Kurmanaev and Tyler Pager | Anatoly Kurmanaev reported from Venezuela, and Tyler Pager from West Palm Beach, Fla. | Saturday, January 3, 2026

Vets Warn of Christian Nationalist Infiltration of US Military

Dec 23, 2025 | Ken Harbaugh breaks down how JD Vance is openly courting White Christian nationalists at Turning Point USA—and why this isn’t just performative politics but a preview of governing intent. Joined by Army combat veteran Kris Goldsmith, founder of Veterans Fighting Fascism, Harbaugh examines how new United States Department of Defense policies could undermine servicemember wellbeing and open the door to religious proselytizing in the ranks.

Glenn Kirschner: Military Members Say They WILL NOT OBEY Trump's Unlawful Orders

Oct 31, 2025 | From Trump ordering unlawful military strikes on boats in international waters murdering dozens of human beings, to Trump saying he can order soldiers into the street of US cities and even the courts can't stop him, Trump behavior vis-a-vis the military is getting more dangerous and lawless by the day.

Two members of the Illinois National Guard just spoke out publicly, announcing that they would not obey unlawful order from Trump to deploy to the streets to Chicago.

I discussed these and other military-related developments with law professor and military law expert Dan Maurer.

"Secretary of War" Pete Hegseth's Utter Lack of Leadership Is a Disgrace

Oct 4, 2025 | Earlier today, Steve Schmidt spoke with MSNBC's Ali Velshi about the total lack of credibility of the Trump regime, and the utter unfitness of Pete Hegseth as the leader of the US Armed Forces.

Trump Preparing to Deploy Military on ‘Domestic Enemies’

Oct 1, 2025 | “The core of President Trump’s speech was how he wanted to use the military against the enemy within.”

In one of the “darkest speeches Trump’s made,” the “heavy emphasis” of using the US military domestically is “concerning” many military observers, says US Assistant Editor for The Times David Charter.

Trump and Hegseth Threaten America's Military

Oct 1, 2025 | After Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth spoke to America's military leaders, this regime's plans to take control of our military became crystal clear. Steve Schmidt reacts to the speeches at Quantico and explains why it's a dangerous sign of things to come.

America is being turned into a very sick, dangerous joke. — © Mark Alexander

Pete Hegseth Declares War on ‘Fat Generals’, ‘Woke Garbage’ and ‘Beardos’

THE IRISH TIMES: US defence secretary says all fitness tests to be set to male benchmarks, and emphasises importance of grooming standards

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth slammed “fat generals” and diversity initiatives that he said had led to decades of decay in the military, and told a rare gathering of commanders on Tuesday they should resign if they do not support his agenda.

Mr Hegseth, a former Fox News personality, was joined by US president Donald Trump, himself a former reality television host, for an on-camera event in Quantico, Virginia, that had a made-for-TV character to it, with generals and admirals assembled on short notice.

“Foolish and reckless political leaders set the wrong compass heading and we lost our way. We became the ‘Woke Department’,” Mr Hegseth said as he kicked off the event. “But not any more,” he said.

Addressing an auditorium full of top brass summoned from around the world without explanation last week, Mr Hegseth defended his firings of flag officers, which include the top US general, who is black, and the Navy’s top admiral, who is a woman. He said the officers he relieved were part of a broken culture. » | Reuters | Wednesday, October 1, 2025

What Trump & Hegseth's Lecture to Generals Really Means

Oct 1, 2025 | t an unprecedented gathering of hundreds of top generals and admirals from U.S. military installations around the world, President Trump delivered a rambling speech Tuesday alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. They laid out their vision of a "warrior" culture in the U.S. military and claimed the United States is facing an "invasion from within." Eugene Fidell, a military scholar at Yale Law School, says the meeting was a means of "exacting loyalty, special loyalty, from the most senior officers and enlisted personnel" and that by promoting a solely "white male" image of the U.S. armed forces, the administration has made clear it "wants to turn back the hands of the social clock."

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Hegseth Wants to Bring Toxicity Back into the Military

Jennifer Welch explains.

'Very Dangerous Time for Our country': Fmr. Air Force Secy. on Trump's Speech to Military Leaders

Sep 30, 2025 | President Donald Trump addressed the country's top military officials today during a rare gathering of military leaders in Quantico, Virginia. During his speech, the president suggested using "dangerous cities" as "training grounds for our military" and aired his political grievances.

Lawrence: Trump Was 'On the Verge of Outright Insanity' in Deranged Speech to Military Commanders

Oct 1, 2025 | MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell details how military commanders who listened to Donald Trump’s “deranged” speech have to be wondering “just how much more dangerous their jobs are now that they've seen just how lost and sick their Commander-in-Chief is.”

The Trump Administration Wants to Turn Your Soldier into a Criminal and Fascist

Steve Schmidt explains.

Bulwark on Sunday: The Persecution of Trans Americans

Aug 24, 2025 | Bree Fram joins Bill Kristol to discuss the escalating attacks on transgender Americans—from the removal of federal health care benefits to subpoenas for hospital records and even reports of the Department of Justice searching VA files for evidence of transition. What does this mean for trans service members and for the broader assault on trans lives?

The Trans Officers Banned from the US Military by President Trump - BBC World Service Documentaries

Jul 6, 2025 | In his first weeks in office, President Trump fulfilled campaign promises to ban what he termed ‘transgender lunacy’.