In “The War on Warriors,” published last year, the nominee to head the Pentagon lashes out at “social justice saboteurs” and other fellow Americans.

Every one of Hegseth’s predecessors emphasized unity and a diverse military as key to national progress and defense. Michael T. Klare Every newly minted secretary of defense of the past 75 years or so has entered office with one overarching goal: to prepare US forces to overpower the nation’s foreign enemies if the need arose.

AT HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING on Tuesday, defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth pledged to “restore the warrior ethos.” He told the Senate Armed Services Committee: “When President Trump chose me for this position, the primary charge he gave me was to bring the warrior culture back to the Department of Defense.”

The Democrats’ refusal to question Hegseth over his fascist politics underscores that their priority is not the defense of democratic rights against a military-backed Trump dictatorship but the continuation of the war against Russia in Ukraine and the preparation of new wars against Iran in the Middle East and against China.