What a second Trump presidency means for the Middle East and Ukraine
Marc Lamont Hill discusses the impact of a second Trump presidency on US foreign policy and global crises. As the US braces for a transition of power between President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump, both US geopolitical allies and adversaries wonder what direction American foreign policy will take under Trump. With tensions in the Middle East at a boiling point and Israel continuing its genocidal campaign in Gaza, what effect will a Trump administration have on the region? And how will Trump’s handling of the war in Ukraine affect Europe and global stability? This week in UpFront, Marc Lamont Hill talks with former US State Department official Annelle Sheline, professor of international affairs at Harvard Kennedy School Stephen Walt, and political analyst Omar Baddar about the future of American foreign policy under a second Donald Trump term. Adblock test (Why?)
Project Esther: A Trumpian blueprint to crush anticolonial resistance
Donald Trump’s re-election as president of the United States marks a shift in US policy – from the Joe Biden administration’s hypocritical denial of American complicity in Zionist genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity to an unapologetic endorsement of all these actions. Besides bringing Washington’s support for all of Israel’s excesses, crimes and violations out into the open, Trump’s return to the White House will also intensify and make even more overt the persecution of those who dare resist white supremacy and its Zionist incarnation. Under Biden, those who opposed American-funded and -facilitated Zionist genocide, from university students and civil servants to racial justice activists and authors, already faced threats from politicians, police harassment, baseless accusations of anti-Semitism in the media and relentless intimidation from employers, university administrators and far-right-linked Zionist “self-defence” groups. And yet, Trump says Biden has been “weak” in countering “Hamas radicals” and he would do even more to shut down anticolonial resistance as president. On the campaign trail, he called for the deportation of foreign nationals who support Palestinian resistance and, since being elected, has nominated pro-Israel hawks to key intelligence and security posts in his government, signalling he intends to keep his promises on cracking down on anti-Zionist activists. For example, Trump named Kristi Noem, the South Dakota governor who once introduced a bill cracking down on criticism of Israel on the grounds of “ensuring the security of God’s chosen people”, as his secretary of homeland security. Another indication that Trump’s second term will be marked by a new crackdown on anticolonial and antiracist resistance came in the form of a strategy to “combat anti-Semitism” titled “Project Esther”, drafted by the prominent Trump-aligned conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation. The Heritage Foundation has been open about its intention to transform “Project Esther” into government policy under a second Trump administration. It states within the strategy document itself – which was published on October 7 to mark the first anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel – that it hopes “Project Esther” would present “an opportunity for public-private partnership when a willing administration occupies the White House”. Created by the same minds that brought us the authoritarian, Christian nationalist “Project 2025”, “Project Esther” syncretises the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish heroine celebrated during Purim for saving Jews of ancient Persia from extermination at the hands of Vizier Haman, with modern day Zionist narratives of defence and victimhood to depict her as a defender of Jews against activists, academics and progressive members of Congress in the US who oppose racism, apartheid and genocide. The strategy paper, supposedly designed to be “a blueprint to counter anti-Semitism in the United States”, includes several fundamental aspects of fascistic thought and practice as outlined by Umberto Eco, such as syncretic culture, xenophobia, a cult of heroism and anti-intellectualism. Targeted individuals – including numerous Black, Brown and Jewish elected representatives who voiced any criticism of Israel, including Senators Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer – are collectively mischaracterised as members of “Hamas Support Organisations (HSO)”, part of a “Hamas Support Network” and equated with Purim’s villain, Haman. Through this framing, the campaign targets prominent social justice advocates and progressive Democratic Party representatives as enemies of the Jewish people, using the mythology of Queen Esther to justify their persecution and repression. “Project Esther” shamelessly states its aims to eliminate anticolonial perspectives from the US education system, limit the dissemination of related information and restrict advocates’ access to American society, the economy and Congress. It seeks to prosecute alleged legal and criminal violations by “HSO” members, disrupt their communications, restrict demonstrations and rally the Jewish community, allies and the American public against anticolonial resistance movements. With fearmongering rhetoric draped in patriotism and “American values” and the latest Zionist spin on rebranding offensive aggression as “defence”, “Project Esther” institutionalises repression of dissent within a fallacious, fascistic theoretical framework, casting itself as the final bulwark against an imaginary threat of “foreign influence” and valiant protector of citizens from brown-skinned heathen hordes who have supposedly promised to infect white American open society with an anticapitalist agenda. Typically, “Project Esther” ideologues see themselves as heroes, courageously waging a holy war, much to the tune of the Ku Klux Klan’s infamous portrayal in Birth of a Nation. Calling on “the silent majority” to “break its silence and speak” to “recover its voice and convert its words into actions to render impotent an illegitimate, hateful minority that threatens America’s soul” by, among other accusations, “corrupting our education system”, “Project Esther” weaponises xenophobic trends bolstered by the incoming Trump administration to threaten and fracture anticolonial movements that conscientiously oppose Zionism and white supremacy alike. Under the guise of combating hate and appealing to a supposedly terrorised and humiliated underclass, “Project Esther” seeks to frame antiracist opposition to Zionist apartheid and genocide as inherently anti-Semitic. However, this exposes Zionism itself as white supremacy and a modern embodiment of anti-Semitic ideology, much like Haman in the myth of Queen Esther, actively targeting Jewish organisations such as Jewish Voice for Peace and the Reformed Jewish movement. “Project Esther” criticises what it sees as “complacency” within the American Jewish community, invoking the Zionist-manufactured anti-Semitic ideal of a “new Jew” who rejects traditional beliefs that interpret oppression and hardship as divine punishment for sins. This vision disparages traditional reliance on defence as passive and weak, promoting instead an assertive, offensive approach to resistance. In line with this view, Zionists adopt the anti-Semitic notion that Jews have been responsible for their own suffering, advocating for segregation and land acquisition in a new homeland as the ultimate solution. Notably, fearmongering has long been used by Zionists to encourage Jewish, preferably white, immigration to Israel as a means to restock the Israeli military and combat the Palestinian “demographic threat”. By amplifying the partnership between US white supremacy and Zionist expansionism, “Project Esther” presents a serious threat to anticolonial and justice-oriented intersectional movements across the country, on the one hand, and minorities, including Jews, on the other. “Project Esther”
Germany’s Scholz speaks to Russia’s Putin for first time in two years
The Russian leader said he is open to talks, but intends to keep the territory Moscow seized in Ukraine. The leaders of Russia and Germany have had their first conversation in almost two years as Western countries prepare for the incoming Trump administration that has signalled its intent to end the war in Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz initiated a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, which reportedly lasted about an hour and revolved around different aspects of the Ukraine war. Scholz, who is facing a snap election in February after his government coalition collapsed, urged Putin to negotiate with Ukraine with the aim of achieving a “just and lasting peace” ” government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement. He also expressed German support for Ukraine “for as long as necessary”, condemned Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, and warned that the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers on Russian soil to fight off the Ukrainian assault on Kursk would mark an escalation. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz talks to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone [Steffen Kugler/BPA/Handout via Reuters] Putin said the current crisis is a direct result of NATO’s aggressive policies in what was described by the Kremlin as “a detailed and frank exchange of opinions”. “Possible agreements must take into account the interests of the Russian Federation in the area of security, proceed from new territorial realities, and most importantly, eliminate the root causes of the conflict,” the Russian leader said. Putin and Scholz also reportedly discussed bilateral relations, with the former saying Moscow remains ready for “mutually beneficial cooperation” including on energy trade if the same view is shared by Berlin. The call comes at a difficult time for Ukraine’s military, with Russian forces advancing in several areas in eastern Ukraine. The re-election of Donald Trump as US president also raises questions over the future of US aid to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the call opened “Pandora’s box” by undermining efforts to isolate the Russian leader. “Now there may be other conversations, other calls. Just a lot of words. And this is exactly what Putin has long wanted: it is extremely important for him to weaken his isolation,” Zelenskyy said in his evening address. Scholz spoke with Zelenskyy before and after the call with Putin. Reporting from Berlin, Al Jazeera’s Dominic Kane said the call was largely being seen in relation to Trump’s re-election and the upcoming election in Germany. “The suggestion coming from various media outlets is that this is to be viewed through the prism of what’s happening in Washington, DC and the approach from the looming Donald Trump administration,” he said. “Another point is that there’s going to be a general election in Germany, 100 days from today. The war in Ukraine is a growing issue. Many people in this country, particularly in the old east, want an end to the war in Ukraine and specifically an end to Germany financing and arming the Ukrainians.” President-elect Trump has asserted he will end the war in Ukraine but has not given details. Vice President-elect JD Vance has suggested a second Trump administration will be in favour of allowing Russia to keep the Ukrainian land it has seized during the war. The outgoing Biden administration has signalled it will strengthen its support for Ukraine before it leaves the White House in January. The phone call between the Russian and German leaders comes as fighting continues to rage in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces have been inching forward in recent months. The Russian military also continues to direct air strikes against military and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, hitting a residential building and a boiler plant in Odesa in one of its latest attacks on Friday. Russia denies targeting civilians in Ukraine. Adblock test (Why?)
Rahm Emanuel mulling bid to steer DNC in wake of disastrous election night for Dems
President Biden’s U.S. ambassador to Japan and a longtime Democrat operative is considering a run for chair of the Democratic National Committee, two sources in the DNC orbit confirm to Fox News. The sources tell Fox News that Rahm Emanuel has been quietly reaching out to DNC committee members as he contemplates a bid to succeed the current chair, Jaimie Harrison – whose term is up early next year. Harrison is unlikely to seek a second four-year posting in the wake of last week’s very disappointing election results for the Democrats, up and down the ballot. Emanuel, a veteran of President Bill Clinton’s administration, went on to serve in Congress and steered the DCCC during its very successful 2006 cycle. He later served as former President Obama’s Chief of Staff before winning the 2011 election and 2015 re-election as Chicago mayor. Emanuel has served these past four years as U.S. ambassador to Japan during the Biden administration. WOULD CALIFORNIANS LIKE VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS TO RUN FOR GOLDEN STATE GOVERNOR IN TWO YEARS? Emanuel appears to have a major advocate in veteran Democratic strategist David Axelrod (the political mastermind behind Obama’s 2008 White House victory and 2012 re-election win), who is a friend of his. HERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028 “If they said, ‘Well, what should we do? Who should lead the party?’ I would take Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, and I would bring him back from Japan, and I would appoint him chairman of the Democratic National Committee,” Axelrod said on Tuesday during his podcast, “Hacks on Tap.” On Wednesday, Axelrod wrote on X that “Dems need a strong and strategic party leader, with broad experience in comms; fundraising and winning elections. One thought I surfaced on @HacksonTap: Ambassador @RahmEmanuel. There may be others but he is kind of sui genesis: Dude knows how to fight and win!” But it’s far from certain, if Emanuel goes ahead with a bid to chair the DNC, that he would be well received by others. One DNC insider, who asked to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital, “Rahm is no doubt talented. But we need to know what we need to do to move forward as a party. We need new blood. We need modernization. We need somebody who understands the vastly changed new media landscape, and who is willing to invest in it. Don’t know that Rahm fits the bill for that.” Another DNC insider, who also asked for anonymity, was much more blunt, arguing in a comment to Fox News Digital that “the absolutely last person we need leading us is an arrogant elitist that has never worked a day in his life.” The news regarding Emanuel was first reported earlier Friday by Axios.
Will Trump White House rescue TikTok from looming ban? President-elect has done a 180 on the app
Months ago, President-elect Donald Trump vaguely suggested that those who “like TikTok” should vote for him, raising the hopes for users of the video-sharing app that he might thwart a ban that is soon to take effect. “We’re not doing anything with TikTok, but the other side is going to close it up, so if you like TikTok, go out and vote for Trump,” Trump said in a September post on his Truth Social service. He didn’t make any specific promises to reverse the impending ban, but his team says he will “deliver.” “The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail,” Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance’s transition team, said in a statement. Working to reverse a ban, which should take effect in January, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden, would be a 180-degree reversal from 2020, when Trump tried to block the app in the U.S. or force its sale. MIKE ROGERS IN CONSIDERATION FOR FBI CHIEF Then, in April 2024, Biden signed a similar measure that gave TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, until Jan. 19, 2025 – the day before the inauguration – to sell it or face a U.S. ban. “He appreciates the breadth and reach of TikTok, which he used masterfully along with podcasts and new media entrants to win,”Kellyanne Conway, an adviser close to Trump who now advocates for TikTok, told the Washington Post. “There are many ways to hold China to account outside alienating 180 million U.S. users each month. Trump recognized early on that Democrats are the party of bans — gas-powered cars, menthol cigarettes, vapes, plastic straws and TikTok — and to let them own that draconian, anti-personal-choice space.” The Trump White House could pressure the Republican-led Congress to reverse the TikTok ban. Or, the justice department could pursue a policy of loose enforcement of the law. TRUMP TURNS TO ALLIES AND LOYALISTS TO IMPLEMENT HIS AMERICA FIRST AGENDA TikTok is currently fighting in court to undo the law, arguing that it is unconstitutional. The law also allows the president to extend the divestment deadline by 90 days if the administration sees “significant progress” toward a sale. The law is enforced by ordering app stores like Apple and Google to stop offering TikTok on their platforms, or be subjected to a fine. When it comes to Big Tech, Trump has focused much of his ire on TikTok’s rival, Meta, formerly Facebook. In a March interview with CNBC, Trump said the owner of Facebook and Instagram poses a far bigger threat, labeling Meta an “enemy of the people.” “Facebook has been very bad for our country, especially when it comes to elections,” Trump said. But since then, Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has given a number of glowing statements about Trump. “Congratulations to President Trump on a decisive victory. We have great opportunities ahead of us as a country. Looking forward to working with you and your administration,” the tech mogul said after Trump’s win. Trump himself has more than 14 million followers on TikTok. “For all of those who want to save TikTok in America, vote for Trump. The other side is closing it up, but I’m now a big star on TikTok,” he declared in September. But back on Capitol Hill, the national security threat of TikTok is a top concern for lawmakers of both parties – 197 Republicans and 155 Democrats voted for the bill to force ByteDance to divest. They fear that the Chinese parent company could be harnessing data on U.S. citizens and manipulating the content that users see to be against U.S. interests, charges that TikTok denies. But Trump’s Cabinet picks are largely China hawks who have supported the ban. His appointed national security adviser, Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., voted for it. His choice for secretary of state, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said that TikTok gives the Chinese government “a unique ability to monitor” U.S. teens and that “we must ban this potential spyware before it is too late.” Trump’s nominee for homeland security secretary, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, was the first governor to ban TikTok on government devices. Public support for a TikTok ban has tanked in the U.S., with only 32% of Americans backing one, a Pew Research poll found in September.
Rep Moulton says fellow Dems ‘privately’ agree with his criticism of party
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., suggested he has gotten more support than publicly known from fellow House Democrats after speaking out about how the party handles dissent within its ranks. Moulton sparked a progressive firestorm after he made comments to The New York Times expressing concern about transgender student athletes playing alongside biological females. He said most Democrats were afraid to come forward with similar views for fear of retribution. Progressives at the local, state and federal level condemned the remarks — including House Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who called them “offensive” on CNN. “Look, I understand people have different opinions and different perspectives, and that’s my whole point. The comments were not meant to be offensive, but we…ought to be willing to have a debate. And that’s exactly what I’m willing to do,” Moulton told Fox News Digital on Thursday. JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS ‘DISHONEST’ “While a few, a handful, maybe just a couple members of Congress have spoken out against the comments, I’ve got an awful lot more who will go up to me privately and say thank you.” His initial comments, which he has since doubled-down on multiple times, prompted the Democratic Party in his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, to threaten to recruit a challenger against him in 2026. “It’s a democracy. If you want to run against me, go for it,” Moulton told Fox News Digital of the threat, though he added it was “not going to be very helpful for winning elections.” “What we need to do is defeat Republicans, not fellow Democrats,” he said. REPUBLICANS PROJECTED TO KEEP CONTROL OF HOUSE AS TRUMP PREPARES TO IMPLEMENT AGENDA The party has been busy soul-searching in the days since the Democrats’ devastating performances in the presidential, Senate and House elections. Moderates like Moulton and Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., have accused the Democratic Party of overly catering to its furthest-left base at the expense of trying to relate to a broader swath of everyday Americans and their issues. Moulton argued Democratic policies were better for those Americans than Republican policies but suggested the left had a messaging problem because of “too much preaching and not enough listening.” MIKE JOHNSON WINS REPUBLICAN SUPPORT TO BE HOUSE SPEAKER AGAIN AFTER TRUMP ENDORSEMENT CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “People think that this is exactly the kind of debate that we need to have. And it’s not just on trans issues, it’s on the economy. Why are we out of touch with Americans on the economy when Trump’s plan is going to dramatically raise grocery prices…How is it that we’re so out of touch on immigration when we’re the ones who proposed a bipartisan immigration deal?” Moulton said. “It seems like Democrats do have a lot of good solutions for working Americans, and yet we’re really out of touch. So we’ve got to ask ourselves that question. Why have we lost touch with so many people across America?”
PROBA-3 ABOARD ISRO’S PSLV : India to Launch Europe’s Sun Mission in December
The two satellites arrived at ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre earlier this month. They were tested in the Spacecraft Preparation Facility-1B (SP-1B facility) to ensure that they were in perfect working condition after their journey from Europe.
Fetterman defends Casey-McCormick recount as challenger’s team says ‘zero’ path for Democrat
Shortly after Republican Sen.-elect David McCormick’s team held a call with reporters attesting that Democratic Sen. Bob Casey Jr. has no mathematical path to victory, Pennsylvania’s other senator defended the commonwealth’s automatic recount. “That’s the law,” Sen. John Fetterman, D–Pa., told Fox News Digital, as the state stipulates a race within 0.5% triggers a recount. When asked whether Casey should have conceded after the race was called in McCormick’s favor, Fetterman said it’s hard to believe it could be controversial to “count every vote.” “Then, when the [recount] law is triggered by the conditions, and they follow the law, that’s what happened. Otherwise, arguing the hard right [view].” Fetterman said Republicans are making the opposite case in Wisconsin. Eric Hovde, the GOP candidate in Wisconsin, originally floated seeking a recount against Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat, according to CBS News, but later told a radio program he would concede. “What about that special Kari Lake? Do you think she’s all, you know . . . .” Fetterman asked. “Let’s talk about where we are at in Pennsylvania. Count every vote, and now there’s a recount because that’s the law – that’s not an opinion, that’s a fact.” Asked whether Hovde and Lake should concede, Fetterman quipped, “I promise you, Kari Lake doesn’t care what I think, but she has to find a new job.” In a call earlier this week with reporters, lawyers for the McCormick campaign said the maximum ballot universe left is around 80,000 according to state officials, but that they personally estimated the number to be closer to 30,000. Applying a 77% average ballot validity in 66 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties – not including Philadelphia – there is no path for Casey, they said. Philadelphia County had zero non-adjudicated ballots left as of Wednesday, and the more blue-collar counties of the city – plus Allegheny in the west, where Pittsburgh is located – are almost finished tabulating. “There is zero mathematical or statistical reason that they have a path to victory here,” a campaign official said on the call. The campaign, along with the greater Republican Party apparatus, is now vociferously objecting to the actions of several county boards of elections that have either expressed an intention or have already voted to tally undated mail-in ballots. Such a move would flout a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision ruling that the process should never happen. The McCormick representatives mentioned Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery and Centre counties – which are all blue and suburban, except the latter, which trends Democratic due to Penn State University – in their tabulation of jurisdictions where there have been mumbles of counting such ballots. A representative also remarked that there does not seem to be an interest in counting undated ballots in Washington County or Cambria County, both of which are heavily Republican. On Thursday, the PAGOP and RNC sued all 67 county boards of election to head off any counting of undated ballots and separately petitioned the 5-2 Democratic-majority Supreme Court to step in. “While Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick currently holds an insurmountable lead of nearly 30,000 votes over his Democrat opponent Bob Casey, numerous County Boards of Elections including Philadelphia, Bucks, Centre and potentially others took an impromptu vote to count undated or improperly dated mail-in ballots, in bold defiance of Pennsylvania law, and two State Supreme Court orders,” PAGOP chairman Lawrence Tabas said in a statement. With 99% of precincts reporting Thursday, McCormick leads Casey by 3.384 million to 3.367 million votes, or a difference of about 0.4%.
Elon Musk blasts John Bolton as ‘staggeringly dumb warmonger’ after criticism of Trump AG pick Matt Gaetz
Business tycoon Elon Musk excoriated former National Security Adviser John Bolton after Bolton blasted President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to tap Matt Gaetz as attorney general. During an appearance on “Meet the Press NOW,” Bolton said the pick “must be the worst nomination for a Cabinet position in American history.” Musk pushed back in a post on X, calling Bolton “a staggeringly dumb warmonger,” saying that Bolton’s opposition to someone is “a great sign!” WHAT HAPPENS TO THE GAETZ HOUSE ETHICS REPORT? “Gaetz will be great,” Musk added. “Just do the opposite of whatever Bolton recommends,” Musk wrote in another post, capping his comment off with the face with tears of joy emoji. Bolton also called Gaetz “totally incompetent” for the position and described him as “a person of moral turpitude.” DEMOCRAT SENATOR REACTS TO GAETZ NOMINATION: ‘RED ALERT MOMENT’ “The Senate’s new leadership should tell the President-elect that he is endangering Republican Senators by forcing a vote in favor of Gaetz’s nomination. The leadership should insist that this nomination be withdrawn,” Bolton declared in a post. During an appearance on CNN, Bolton indicated that he thinks the Senate should unanimously vote against confirming Gaetz and Tulsi Gabbard, who Trump tapped to serve as director of national intelligence. Gaetz “issued his resignation letter effective immediately,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Wednesday. DEMOCRATS TRASH TULSI GABBARD AFTER TRUMP TAPS HER FOR DNI POST Gaetz had just been re-elected last week. He served in the House of Representatives since 2017. Bolton also shared his scathing criticism of Gaetz on X, but the former lawmaker responded with a joke, writing, “We’ll mark John down as a ‘maybe.’”
Meet Pete Hegseth: The ‘recovering neocon’ and Pentagon critic who’s been tapped for Defense secretary
President-elect Donald Trump sent shock waves through the national security establishment when he nominated Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary. The plain-speaking former Army National Guard officer would set himself apart from other Defense secretaries with his prolific record of criticism of the institution he has been tapped to run. A culture warrior, on-air commentator and author, the paper trail of his publicly shared views will be on full display in his confirmation hearing. “I’ve been a recovering neocon for six years now,” Hegseth, a former Fox News host, told the “Shawn Ryan Show” podcast. He said he was a huge proponent of the Iraq War “at the time,” but “in retrospect, absolutely not.” “The hubris of the Pentagon is they want to now tell other countries how to do counterinsurgency based on what we did in Iraq and Afghanistan. The trust that our political leaders and our generals would have our best interests in mind is totally broken,” he explained. “At the same time. I’m fearful of what happens when the institution gets abandoned.” TRUMP NOMINATES PETE HEGSETH TO SERVE AS DEFENSE SECRETARY In a past life, Hegseth ran Vets for Freedom, a pro-Iraq War advocacy group. He then pivoted and became CEO of Concerned Veterans for America, a restraint-minded advocacy group that was heavily focused on reforming the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. He has not served any senior-level leadership roles at the Defense Department – leaving some hawks skeptical that he has the experience to lead the U.S.’s largest government agency and a fighting force of more than 1.3 million active duty troops. “He is the least well-prepared secretary to be nominated,” said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and a senior adviser to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. “He has superb military credentials as a junior officer, excellent academic credentials in Harvard, but he has no eye-level national security experience. He has no experience running a large organization, no experience working with Congress, and I mean, a good but very short relationship with the president.” Prior to his current role, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was head of U.S. Central Command, vice chief of staff of the Army and commander of the U.S. forces in Iraq. After retiring from the armed services, he joined the board of Raytheon. Hegseth, a 44-year-old infantry officer in the Minnesota National Guard, served as the platoon leader at Guantanamo Bay. He also led a platoon in Baghdad and later served as a civil-military operations officer in Samarra. TRUMP’S PICKS SO FAR: HERE’S WHO WILL BE ADVISING THE NEW PRESIDENT “Something that a lot of people will point to as a weakness is he’s young,” said Steve Bucci, former deputy assistant secretary of Defense during the George W. Bush administration. “He did serve very effectively as a junior officer and a combat leader, but you know, he hasn’t been part of the institutionalized process going up to be general officer and all the staff positions in between.” “That will free him to think outside the box,” Bucci mused. “Austin, a four-star, frankly, was not known for new ideas.” “It’ll drive a lot of people crazy.” Hegseth has made it clear he will work to fight “woke” programs in the Pentagon that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. He has also spoken out against women in combat roles. “I’m straight up just saying that we should not have women in combat roles,” Hegseth said on the “Shawn Ryan Show” podcast. “It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated.” Additionally, in 2019, he successfully lobbied Trump to pardon three service members convicted or accused of war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. Trump may have looked ahead to sparing himself the headache this role caused him during his first administration – only Jim Mattis and Mark Esper lasted more than a year, three others served in an acting capacity. Hegseth has also called for the firing of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. C.Q. Brown. Brown has become a target of conservatives who claim he advances a “woke” agenda, and Hegseth has suggested Brown, who is Black, is a DEI hire. “That would be a huge problem,” Cancian predicted. “He’s got a very strong military record and, you know, it would put [Hegseth] at war with the military.” Democrats are expected to hammer him for lack of experience and his background as a co-host of “Fox and Friends.” “Hegseth is not remotely qualified to be Secretary of Defense,” Rep. Jason Crow, a national-security-minded Colorado Democrat wrote on X. “The SecDef makes life-and-death decisions daily that impact our 2 million troops around the globe. This is not an entry-level job for a TV commentator.” They also may bring up resurfaced sexual assault allegations he faced in 2017. Monterey, California, officials released a public statement Thursday about a 2017 police investigation into whether Hegseth acted inappropriately. Trump’s incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and Trump’s lawyers brought the accusation up during the vetting process, according to Vanity Fair. Hegseth would likely be the first-ever Defense secretary nominee previously barred from a presidential inauguration. Hegseth told Ryan he volunteered in his National Guard capacity to work at President Biden’s inauguration in 2020. However, he said he was one of a number of National Guard members told to “stand down.” “I was deemed an extremist because of a tattoo by my National Guard unit in Washington D.C. and my orders were revoked to guard the Biden inauguration.” “My commander called me a day before, tepidly, and was like, Major, you can just stand down. We don’t need you, we’re good. I’m like, what do you mean? Everybody’s there. He said like, no, no ,no…he couldn’t tell me.” Hegseth said the tattoo is a Jerusalem cross rather than an extremist symbol. It was a popular symbol used during the Crusades. “Twenty years in the military I loved, I fought for, I revered … spit me out,” Hegseth