The question, “Does Pete Hegseth Have Legs?” might seem unusual when considering his nomination for Secretary of Defense. However, in the metaphorical sense, it delves into the core of what many are asking: Does Pete Hegseth possess the standing, experience, and fortitude necessary to lead the Pentagon? This inquiry is particularly relevant as Senators deliberate on confirming Pete Hegseth, nominated by President Trump for this crucial role.
To understand the true weight of this question, we must look back at two decades marked by conflict and its consequences, stretching from the harrowing events of September 11, 2001, to the tumultuous fall of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021. This period witnessed the loss of over 7,054 U.S. service members, countless others bearing severe injuries, and billions of taxpayer dollars spent, often on misdirected efforts. The answer is far from simple, but it can be encapsulated in this: Pete Hegseth has witnessed firsthand the immense cost of prolonged wars fought with unclear objectives and a lack of accountability.
Pete Hegseth and I have stood shoulder-to-shoulder in these battles. He understands, perhaps more profoundly than any general ensconced in military hierarchy, the missteps that have cost us lives and resources.
For our generation – late Gen X, early millennials – our awakening began with a jarring image on a small television screen. In a pre-dawn weightlifting session, our football coach turned on the news, and we watched, half-asleep, as a plane became the world’s grim focus, flying with chilling precision into a towering building. The eruption of flames and the stunned gasps of the news anchors etched September 11, 2001, into our collective consciousness, defining our generation’s trajectory.
Four years later, I stood on yellow footprints at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Paris Island, my feet aligned with unwavering purpose. I recall the crunch of combat boots through the scorching “moon dust” of Iraq in 2007. And then, the stark memory of lying on my back in Afghanistan in 2010, looking down at where my feet once were, moments after an IED explosively severed them from my body.
Joey Jones, Donald Trump, and Pete Hegseth
The outpouring of support upon our return home signaled a nation healing from the deep divisions of the Vietnam era, when returning soldiers faced scorn for a war they were compelled to fight. Our generation of warriors reignited a sense of patriotism that had waned. Looking back at our two-decade struggle against radical Islamic terrorism, perhaps the most significant ground gained was the restoration of our nation’s respect for its service members, a foundation now challenged daily by those who harbor animosity towards our country.
This context is crucial to understanding why Pete Hegseth is the right choice now. After four years adrift with ineffective DEI policies and declining standards under the current administration, we see generals more concerned with media perception than military effectiveness. Their focus seems to be more on crafting personal narratives in books than on refining the strategies and tactics needed to defeat our adversaries.
Now, more than ever, we require leadership at the Pentagon that carries the fresh, unvarnished memories of our protracted, often fruitless, and misguided wars. We need someone with a steady hand and a discerning mind, acutely aware of the challenges plaguing military readiness—recruitment shortfalls, declining morale, and a leadership vacuum. We need someone who has faced the trials of public scrutiny and political battles and emerged resolute in their mission.
Why Pete Hegseth? Because we need a leader grounded in the realities faced by our warriors, not just in the theories espoused in war colleges.
For the past five years, I’ve worked alongside Pete at Fox News Media. I often joke about making a living filling in for Pete Hegseth, but the truth is, I’ve learned immensely from him. In an industry often marked by self-interest and guarded ambition, Pete, remarkably, saw me – a fellow veteran with a similar entry into media – not as competition, but as a colleague. True to leadership, he welcomed me, opened doors, and mentored me, not just as a “news anchor,” but as someone bearing the responsibility of representing our generation of warfighters and their valid concerns.
In my years of working closely with him and becoming his friend, I’ve witnessed a man guided by a powerful ethos: treat everyone with respect, let your work ethic speak volumes, and never lose sight of your origins and the values that brought you here.
I’ve seen Pete champion the “Modern Warriors” perspective on television and in his writings. He fearlessly exposed the scandalous neglect of veterans within the VA system. He traveled to the Middle East and Israel, providing crucial insights into the conflicts that drew us into war after 9/11 and the threats that persist.
Witnessing the alarming decline in military recruitment, Pete made a point of highlighting events like the Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning and the Navy SEAL Swim in NYC, among other stories intended to inspire the next generation to take up the mantle of defending our nation. This is why Pete Hegseth matters: because my 15-year-old son may choose to serve this country, and he deserves far better leadership than what has been in place.
Many criticisms leveled against Pete Hegseth are baseless, thinly disguised partisan attacks, lacking seriousness and merit. However, some question his experience and qualifications. To them, I ask: how can we justify continually promoting generals who have no victories to their names to even higher positions? How can a general whose formative experiences were in Vietnam adequately guide our military through the complexities of modern conflicts? How does this acknowledge the immense sacrifices made by the OIF/OEF generation?
During my eight years of active duty, I directly witnessed the rampant fraud, waste, and abuse permeating our government, particularly within the “unauditable” Department of Defense. I saw endless cycles of new radio systems, detection devices, uniforms, and redesigned vehicles. I remember the Osprey debacle and the bottomless pit of spending on the F-35. I repeatedly heard the mantra “use it or lose it,” justifying the wasteful expenditure of ammunition and explosives simply to secure the same budget allocation for the following year.
How can we expect meaningful reform from the very individuals who fostered this culture of ineffective and wasteful warfighting?
That is precisely why we need Pete Hegseth.
After enduring so much loss of life and the physical and emotional wounding of so many young American warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan, we urgently need a military leader with a ground-level perspective. Someone who knows firsthand the human cost of war, who recognizes the faces and names behind the sacrifices, and who is personally driven to ensure that we are as lethal and judicious as possible before committing to future conflicts.
War is currently raging in Europe and across the Middle East. American troops are stationed in and around these conflict zones. We face critical decisions about how we prepare for and potentially engage in the next battles.
As a Marine who has given two legs and a decade of my life to defend this nation, and as a father to a teenage son who may also choose to serve, I urge every U.S. Senator to confirm President Trump’s nomination for Secretary of Defense: my friend, former colleague, and fellow combat veteran, Pete Hegseth. He has the metaphorical “legs” – the strength, experience, and unwavering commitment – to stand tall for our military and our nation.
Joey Jones is a Fox News contributor and a United States veteran.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
