More recently, Pete Hegseth—one of the hosts on Fox & Friends—has been widely criticized. He’s now getting criticism for comments he made back in 2016 on the U.S. armed forces’ obligation to ignore illegal orders from a future President Donald Trump. Hegseth has become the right’s most potent media voice. He passionately argued that service members can never follow illegal orders, and they should never follow them. They need to follow the law.
A Fox News appearance by Hegseth in March 2016. He urged service members to refuse any orders they believe to be illegal. His comments came in response to Trump’s controversial remarks made during a debate, where he suggested extreme measures against suspected terrorists. Hegseth highlighted the fact that complying with these orders would put service members at risk of harsh legal repercussions.
Hegseth reiterated this stance in April 2016 at the Liberty Forum of Silicon Valley, stating unequivocally that the military “won’t follow unlawful orders from their commander in chief.” His comments highlighted a clear concern regarding the potential implications of electing Trump as president and the moral responsibilities of military personnel in such scenarios.
Hegseth muddied the waters even further by claiming the story wasn’t about drug smuggling at all—it was about drug smuggling al-Qaida terrorists. He called for robust and unambiguous military response to address these threats. Unfortunately, this dangerous rhetoric has made a comeback in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The controversial military strike on September 2 killed two survivors from an earlier operation targeting supposedly drug trafficking boats.
As concerns over the constitutionality and effectiveness of these actions grow, Hegseth lashes out. He calls out Democratic lawmakers for parroting his administration’s earlier warnings about illegal orders. He labeled them the “Seditious Six,” contending that their methods have planted distrust in the military’s chain of command. White House senior advisor Anna Kelly shot down Hegseth’s remarks. She argued that the military is not lacking guidance for addressing unlawful orders and tarred Democrats for obfuscating the discussion.
“Sowed doubt in a clear chain of command, which is reckless, dangerous, and deeply irresponsible for an elected official.” – Anna Kelly
In the background of this controversy, Hegseth has denied that recent strikes have deployed international law. Further, he said, President Trump can and should act decisively in defense of US national interests. Given his previous statements, one can only speculate on the legality and morality of military operations conducted under such orders.
Hegseth previously underscored the importance of legal compliance within military operations by asserting, “You’re not just gonna follow that order if it’s unlawful.” Effectively, Trump’s previous belligerent rhetoric gave the greenlight for stormtrooper-style aggression on those he viewed as enemies. Critics contend that these statements were devoid of a legal or an ethical underpinning.
“If you’re not changing the law, and you’re just saying it, you create even more ambiguity.” – [no specific source]
Hegseth first media career as a Fox News contributor. These days, he’s lighting up the ratings as a co-host on Fox & Friends. Yet his influence raises serious concerns about the military conduct of these communications. Further, it demonstrates the art of the ethical service member faced with unlawful orders from their commanders.