Pete Hegseth Confirmed as Defense Secretary

Which thread should we reply to?

 

But good enough for government work

 

Air Force Begins Dismantling DEI Programming

 

LOL at people who are terrified about replacing our generals, given our generals.

 

Did he say something terrible that I missed? He's a mouthpiece much more than anything else, and he showed it here, but I don't think he said anything absurd.

 

Dude said nothing.... "we are going to think outside the box"...."definition of insanity is doing the same thing" (he didnt say it correctly)... "unique and dynamic problem solving"..."creative solutions"... "looking at all option on the table"... "complex and high level"

What a joke of a team.

 

While I strongly oppose any programs that give preference based on race, gender or ethnicity Trump's war on DEI has gone way too far. DEI like CRT is a vague term that hasn't really been defined. I suspect his motivation is based on two factors. First it's an appeal to his low information supporters who believe that they may have been or could be victimized by preferential hiring or promotion practices and secondly, it's also personal with Trump. I suspect that he still resents that he and his father were defendants in the largest housing discrimination case in history and that they were forced into agreeing to a large settlement.

I would add that I saw an interview with a retired general who defended DEI programs at the service academies and elsewhere in the military. Paraphrasing him, the US military has the largest most diverse workforce of any employer in the world. Effectively managing diverse subordinates (soldiers, airmen and sailors) is a matter of readiness. The goal of DEI in the military isn't to compensate for a history of prior discrimination it's to ensure the effectiveness of the military.

I would concede that there probably have been some instances in which less qualified individuals were promoted or place in positions for which they were not the most qualified. That being said they were few and far between. Those situations should never occur and a good argument could be made the focus should be ensuring that they do not. Trump's EO and the directives implementing it from Hegseth and other Trump appointees go far beyond fixing the problem and in the end could cause more albeit different problems than those that they are supposedly trying to remedy.

 

What did his associates and coworkers say about his need to spend taxpayer money?

Hegseth Wants $50,000 for 'Emergency' Paint Job to Move into Military Family Housing, Lawmakers Say

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is looking to live in military family housing and requested to use $137,000 in taxpayer funding for repairs -- including nearly $50,000 for an "emergency" paint job -- a pair of top Democratic lawmakers said in a letter Friday demanding more details.

While it is not unprecedented for a defense secretary to live in military housing, it is far more common for them to find private housing. And the reported price tag to fix up Hegseth's military house comes as rank-and-file service members continue to struggle with crumbling, unsafe living conditions and as the Trump administration has been looking to slash government spending elsewhere.

Hegseth Wants $50,000 for 'Emergency' Paint Job to Move into Military Family Housing, Lawmakers Say

 

I've lived in base housing twice. I can't imagine a $50,000 paint job, even it's a flag-grade house. Is this the going rate for painters, now that the immigrants have all been chased out?

 

Don’t see in the article where he asked for it.

 

No, that’s the cost to paint such large house. Don’t think they are planning on just spraying the walls

 

Was square footage mentioned? I didn't see size mentioned.

 

Hegseth rips ex-Fox News colleague for reporting factual information

 

I would hope that we would choose to use his own private money like Austin did. You may not be aware but Austin was working for a private company when he purchased that home and wasn't in the military

 

Well great falls is a high cost area. Guess he needs a house that big since nice I guess he has a big family.

 

Maybe Trump could teach him some corporate buzzwords to throw into his speeches. "We need to circle back and face the headwinds so we can maximize our return. By the way, has anyone seen the $50,000 worth of paint I ordered?"