Pete Hegseth's Roadblocks to Relevance

Unfit and Exposed

George C. Marshall

Europe’s love for America is a habit—a habit they are desperately trying to break, despite the nonstop warning signs since November 2016. For decades, Europe’s addiction to America and the trust that came with it ran so deep that even their long-range missiles, like the British Storm Shadow and French SCALP, depend on American data to fly over enemy territory. If the United States wanted to, it could leave Europe defenseless.

It seems foolish now, but this wasn’t born out of laziness or carelessness. It was trust. The kind of trust built by the Marshall Plan, which helped rebuild a continent reduced to rubble by the Nazis. America didn’t just come to Europe’s rescue—it stayed to help them rebuild their homes. Wouldn’t you look up to someone who fought with you and then helped you rebuild your home? I know I would.

Harry Truman was the president when Europe was rebuilt, but he didn’t name the plan after himself. He named it after George C. Marshall, the architect of post-war Europe’s recovery. The man who chiseled the world order we know today into shape. For his efforts, Marshall was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

George C. Marshall was more than a name in history. He was a diplomat, a five-star general, and the man who changed the world. He changed the world not only as the Secretary of Defense but also during his tenure as Secretary of State, where he championed the Marshall Plan and laid the foundation for the post-war global order. His leadership in both roles reshaped history, securing peace and stability in a shattered world.

Pete Hegseth is a former platoon leader.

When John F. Kennedy offered Robert McNamara the job, he initially refused. So did William Perry, the man who shifted U.S. national security objectives from prevention to deterrence when Bill Clinton asked him to take the role. The Secretary of Defense is a job that never sleeps. It demands constant vigilance and relentless focus. Grueling work schedules pale in comparison to the weight of this role. Good men—highly qualified men—have turned it down. Presidents have persuaded them to accept it.

Meanwhile, Pete Hegseth’s drinking raised concerns among his colleagues at Fox News.