Exclusive: DoD ‘Intentionally Delayed’ National Guard Deployment To The Capitol On Jan. 6
'The DoD IG knowingly concealed the extent of the delay in constructing a narrative that is favorable to DoD and Pentagon leadership,' the letter says.'The DoD IG knowingly concealed the extent of the delay in constructing a narrative that is favorable to DoD and Pentagon leadership,' the letter says.Why Pete Hegseth Is The Right Man To Run The Pentagon
Hegseth is not only qualified but also uniquely positioned to lead in a time when bold, reform-minded leadership is desperately needed.Pentagon fails audit again while officials boast of 'progress'
The Department of Defense failed its seventh consecutive annual audit on Friday, revealing that it cannot fully account for its over $824 billion budget.
The nation's largest government agency has been required to run yearly audits since the 1990s but only began doing so in 2018. The Pentagon has failed every single one of these reviews, which are carried out by independent auditors and the department's Office of Inspector General.
'I have zero tolerance for fraud, waste, and abuse.'
The DOD's leadership has fully anticipated its repeated audit failures, stating that the agency aims to pass for the first time by 2028, as required by the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act.
This year's audit resulted in a disclaimer of opinion, meaning the agency failed to provide auditors with sufficient information to form an accurate opinion.
Of the DOD's 28 reporting entities, nine received an unmodified opinion, one received a qualified opinion, 15 received disclaimers, and three opinions remain pending, according to the agency.
Despite the Pentagon's repeated failures, Michael McCord, under secretary of defense comptroller and chief financial officer, claimed that the agency "has turned a corner in its understanding of the depth and breadth of its challenges."
"Momentum is on our side, and throughout the Department there is strong commitment — and belief in our ability — to achieve an unmodified audit opinion," he claimed.
McCord said that the DOD anticipated receiving a disclaimer of opinion but rejected the notion that the agency "failed" yet another annual audit.
"I do not say we failed, as I said, we have about half clean opinions. We have half that are not clean opinions," McCord told reporters on Friday. "So if someone had a report card that is half good and half not good, I don't know that you call the student or the report card a failure. We have a lot of work to do, but I think we're making progress."
McCord emphasized that to achieve a clean audit by 2028, the DOD must "make enormous progress," but he believes the goal is within reach.
"Is 2028 achievable? I believe so," he stated. "But we do have to keep getting faster and keep getting better."
In response to the latest audit results, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated, "While we have made real progress in our annual audit, there are several areas where we need to work harder and achieve better results. I am deeply committed to transparency and responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds, both central to our mission to defend our country."
"I have zero tolerance for fraud, waste, and abuse — in the Pentagon or elsewhere in the Department," Austin continued. "The Department is grateful to Congress for supporting our mission and strengthening America's defense. Yet, there is still much more to do. We must account for every taxpayer dollar and present a clean financial bill of health to the American people."
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Bill Kristol now likens Hegseth to human waste — but he sang a different tune not too long ago
President-elect Donald Trump enraged elements of the administrative state, the military-industrial complex, and the liberal media with his announcement Tuesday that he will be appointing decorated Army veteran Pete Hegseth to run the Pentagon. Among those gnashing teeth and clutching pearls was unrepentant Iraq War advocate Bill Kristol.
KFile, the investigative outfit at CNN that previously highlighted some of Kamala Harris' more radical views, preemptively outed Kristol as two-faced, linking to a video of his glowing 2012 endorsement of Hegseth for a Senate seat in Minnesota.
Kristol now
In the pages of his never-Trump blog, Kristol called Hegseth — a two-time Bronze Star recipient who fought in a war initiated on the false premise Kristol promoted — "the lightest of lightweights," suggesting further he was "unfit" and would degrade the government.
After quoting Stephen K. Bannon, who allegedly told the financial journalist Michael Lewis that the way to deal with an oppositional media "is to flood the zone with s***," Kristol suggested that the same strategy is now in play and that Hegseth and Trump's other appointments are human waste.
Kristol, who served in the George H.W. Bush administration as well as on the late Sen. John McCain's failed presidential campaign, subsequently cast doubt on whether the U.S. Senate would ultimately confirm Hegseth.
"Even though the bulk of Trump’s embarrassing and unqualified appointments will get confirmed, his intention to nominate Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense gives defenders of good government and the rule of law a chance for a win," wrote Kristol. "Could Hegseth's nomination be defeated? Many Republican senators have dealt with Hegseth, and they know he's beyond unqualified for the position. Has there actually been a single statement from a Republican senator actually praising the choice? I'm not aware of one."
'There's so much he could do for this country.'
Kristol also busied himself this week sharing other attacks on Hegseth from other writers on his blog, including the suggestion from Annika Brockschmidt and Thomas Lecaque that Trump's proposed secretary of defense sees himself as a potential leader in a holy war — as some kind of neo-crusader knight whose Jerusalem cross and "Deus vult" tattoos serve as "warnings all over his body."
Kristol then
Prior to Kristol's meltdown, KFile's Andy Kaczynski shared the neocon's 2012 endorsement of Hegseth, where he said, "I've known Pete Hegseth for six or seven years. He's one of the most impressive young men I've met in Washington."
"Pete was 26, 27 years old, meeting with senators, meeting with senior administration officials. He was extremely impressive. He made his case like someone who had been around Washington for 20 years — but he also had served. He had served his country," continued Kristol. "I feel I know him well."
"I respect Pete. I admire what he's done and I think there's an awful lot, there's so much he could do for this country," added Kristol.
The neocon who wasted ink this week dehumanizing the secretary of defense nominee also noted in the endorsement video that Hegseth was an accomplished young man with vision and character.
"He is someone who served his country in the military, obviously, and put himself at risk," said Kristol. "I'd be proud and enthusiastic to vote for Pete Hegseth."
Kristol proved unwilling to change his mind about the disastrous and costly war in Iraq. It's unclear at what point he alternatively changed his mind about Hegseth, but Trump's success and non-interventionist foreign policy might have something to do with it.
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Establishmentarians belittle Trump's defense secretary pick — but are quickly put in their place
President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will be appointing decorated Army veteran Pete Hegseth to the position of secretary of defense, a post currently occupied by Ret. Gen. Lloyd Austin.
The liberal media and various establishmentarians rushed to criticize Trump and his selection, suggesting that the father of seven lacks the credentials and experience of past Pentagon chiefs, including President Joe Biden's pick, whose legacy is apparently a better-armed Taliban.
Hegseth, a two-time recipient of the Bronze Star, likely doesn't need help fending off those armchair critics desperate to maintain the status quo. Nevertheless, friends, allies, and others with long memories jumped in to highlight that Hegseth is, in fact, well suited to the role, not least because of the reasons that have rankled establishmentarians.
The announcement
"Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country," Trump said in a statement Tuesday. "Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America's enemies are on notice — Our Military will be great Again, and America will Never Back Down."
'The woke stuff will be gone.'
Trump noted that Hegseth is a graduate of Princeton University as well as Harvard University, where he received a master's degree in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Trump also alluded to Hegseth's firsthand experience with war, writing, "He is an Army Combat Veteran who did tours in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan. For his actions on the battlefield, he was decorated with two Bronze Stars, as well as a Combat Infantryman's Badge."
It appears that Hegseth's proposals in his recent book, "The War on Warriors," concerning how to "return our Military to meritocracy, lethality, accountability, and excellence" caught Trump's eye, warranting a mention in the announcement.
Months ahead of his landslide victory, Trump told a crowd in Las Vegas to buy Hegseth's book, stressing, "The woke stuff will be gone within a period of 24 hours. I can tell you," reported the Associated Press.
"Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our 'Peace through Strength' policy," added Trump.
Bubbles in the swamp
Politico, incautious as always despite its recent false and misleading reports, rushed to attack Hegseth with an article titled "'Who the f--k is this guy?': Defense world reacts to Trump’s surprise Pentagon pick." The subtitle read, "'Hegseth is undoubtedly the least qualified nominee for SecDef in American history,' one veterans' advocate said."
The liberal publication suggested:
the pick will do little to quell fears inside the Pentagon and beyond that Trump, who jousted with his own defense secretaries, plans this time to install a loyalist who will unquestioningly carry out his policies. Trump's campaign trail rhetoric has primed fears that his second term could see a swift and divisive overhaul at the Pentagon.
While framing the 44-year-old father of seven as unfit for the position and a Pentagon overhaul as undesirable, the article revealed the kinds of people presently uncomfortable with the decision: Eric Edelman, a top policy official in the Bush Pentagon and former Dick Cheney adviser; a military-industrial complex lobbyist unfamiliar with the pick; a veterans group funded by the Koch brothers; Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, D.C.; and a former Obama official.
"I think it's a surprising pick, someone who’s a TV personality when the entire rhetoric from Trump and everyone else is that the world is falling apart and you pick someone who is not necessarily the most experienced," said former Obama official Max Bermann, now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies — a think tank funded in part by the Northrop Grumman Corporation and the Raytheon Company.
Former Jan. 6 committee member and Ukraine hawk Adam Kinzinger tweeted, "Wow. Trump picking Pete Hegseth is the most hilariously predictably stupid thing."
'Everyone is simply shocked.'
"I confess I didn't know who he was until 20 minutes ago," said Rep. Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. "And he certainly doesn't seem to have any background whatsoever in DOD policy."
Smith was apparently concerned that Hegseth might not be able to fill the shoes of the man who oversaw the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, lied to the president about being hospitalized, watched impotently as a Chinese spy balloon flew over the United States, and failed to correct the recruitment crisis.
"What's your plan? What are you going to do?" said Smith. "How can you assure us that that lack of experience, you know, isn't going to make it impossible for you to do the job?"
Identitarian Joy Reid suggested on her MSNBC show that Hegseth was just a morning show host for Trump's "clown car."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) tweeted, "A Fox & Friends weekend co-host is not qualified to be the Secretary of Defense. I lead the Senate military personnel panel. All three of my brothers served in uniform. I respect every one of our servicemembers. Donald Trump's pick will make us less safe and must be rejected."
'He's had a front row seat to ALL of our forever wars.'
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) reportedly said, "Wow," in response to Trump's pick.
One defense official reportedly told CNN, "Everyone is simply shocked."
Media Matters, a leftist organization founded by Democratic operative David Brock that recently pushed for the censorship of BlazeTV hosts, attacked Hegseth, suggesting he is "an anti-Muslim bigot" for daring to write, "Just like the Christian crusaders who pushed back the Muslim hordes in the twelfth century, American Crusaders will need to muster the same courage against Islamists today."
Bursting bubbles
Combat veteran Sean Parnell was among those who did not take kindly to the dismissive tone taken by liberal media types regarding Hegseth.
When MSNBC news analyst Jake Sherman tweeted, "TRUMP had named PETE HEGSETH to be secretary of defense. Hegseth has been a host on Fox News," Parnell responded, "I'm sorry but is this a joke? He's a combat veteran of Iraq & Afghanistan. He served in GITMO. He's had a front row seat to ALL of our forever wars. He's seen the total failure of those who sent us. He's more qualified than **any** so called DC expert & it's not even close."
'The party of DEI hires are pissed about Pete Hegseth?'
BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler shared an excerpt from the Politico piece, writing, "If the military industrial complex hates you, you may be an awesome choice for Sec of Defense."
Wheeler also shared a picture of two of the cross-dressing officials in the Biden-Harris administration, tweeting, "Leftists were cool with this creep at Dept of Energy and this groomer at HHS. But now they're outraged by ... Pete Hegseth? Lol. Ok, weirdos."
The Federalist's Mollie Hemingway wrote, "Obviously it's better to have a SecDef who'd give the enemy a heads-up before we or our allies attack," alluding to Mark Milley's phone calls with his communist Chinese counterpart.
YouTuber David Freiheit, known under his online pseudonym "Viva Frei," blasted Sen. Warren for her attack on Hegseth, writing, "It's unbelievable. Truly astonishing. They are not just rapacious liars. They are incorrigible idiots. Hey Pocahontas, do you not know that Pete Hegseth is a two-decade veteran who served in combat?"
Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck jumped in, noting, "Pete Hegseth is literally a combat veteran with 2 bronze stars who led a squadron in Baghdad. He's worked on veterans issues ever since and he's also a Princeton + Harvard graduate. You do NOT respect our troops or you wouldn't disrespect Pete by calling him just a Fox host."
"The party of DEI hires are pissed about Pete Hegseth?" wrote Chad Prather. "Sorry that the Harvard grad that led a battalion in Iraq and has two bronze stars doesn't paint his nails."
Extra to wanting to maximize lethality and to rid the military of paralyzing wokeness, Hegseth has signaled a desire to maintain high standards for combat roles, even if that means fewer or no female service members on the battlefield.
"It hasn't made us more effective, hasn't made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated. … We've all served with women, and they're great," Hegseth told the titular host of "The Shawn Ryan Show" last week. "But our institutions don't have to incentivize that in places where, traditionally — not traditionally, over human history — men in those positions are more capable."
Hegseth, who has a tattoo of the Jerusalem cross as well as a tattoo of the Latin phrase for "God wills it," indicated in his book that he was sidelined for his religious views.
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'Wow': Biden-Harris DOD bungles Veterans Day commemoration with mind-boggling error
Keen observers noticed something amiss about a Biden-Harris Department of Defense social media post Monday commemorating Veterans Day.
In a now-deleted post on Instagram and X, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office — whose very existence centers on the F-35 fighter jet — shared an image of an aircraft with the caption, "Today, and every day, we thank all Veterans and those currently serving for their service and sacrifice."
The trouble with the F-35 JPO's post was not the wording but rather the image. Not only was the aircraft pictured not American, it belongs to an adversarial, communist nation that some living veterans commemorated on Monday fought against in Korea.
Military.com noted that instead of the F-35's single Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofan engine, the vehicle depicted in the post had twin engines. On closer examination, it appears as though the F-35 JPO actually posted an image of communist China's J-35 stealth fighter aircraft, the People's Liberation Army Air Force's F-35 knockoff.
'You can't make this stuff up.'
The backlash was immediate.
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) wrote, "WTAF?"
"Biden Administration: showcasing Chinese military equipment on Veterans Day," wrote Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah).
One commentator on Instagram noted, "'Mom I want an F-35 from the JPO!' 'no son, we have F-35s at home!' *the F-36s at home*"
"Embarrassing," wrote another user. "Please take this down. We don't want a Chinese J-35 supported by our F-35 JPO office."
Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck tweeted, "You can't make this stuff up. Wow."
Former Salomon Brothers and Citigroup investment banker John LeFevre wrote, "China stole the IP for the F-35 and then mocked us by naming theirs the J-35. Today, the Biden administration celebrated Veteran's Day by posting a picture of the Chinese knockoff."
The F-35 JPO, which touts itself as the "DoD's focal point for defining next gen strike aircraft weapons systems," deleted the post, then shared images and video of real F-35 jets.
Blaze News has reached out to the F-35 JPO for comment.
While embarrassing, the F-35 JPO's blunder was not the first time the Biden-Harris DOD evidenced difficulty discerning friend from foe.
Stars and Stripes reported that the U.S. Pacific Fleet tweeted then deleted a Fourth of July message last year depicting a service member saluting silhouettes of a Russian Kashin-class destroyer and Russian Sukhoi-27 fighter jets.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service similarly mistook an adversary's ship for its own, celebrating the U.S. Navy's 246th birthday in 2021 with an image of a Russian Kirov-class battle cruiser.
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