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Items tagged with: Hegseth
"According to Hegseth, Islamists are enabled by American leftists against God-fearing Christian Americans. He wrote, 'We don’t want to fight, but, like our fellow Christians one thousand years ago, we must,' and he then envisioned in his book that the United States would go to war alongside Israel.
This is who is directing our military and the war in Iran right now."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #WhiteChristianNationalism
/6
"He also has the phrase 'Deus Vult' as a tattoo, which was the Latin rallying cry of Crusaders during the First Crusade in 1095. It means 'God Wills It.'
Hegseth has not been shy about his deep distrust of Islam and opposition to Muslims. In his book 'American Crusade,' he said that America faces a 'Crusade moment' that is similar to the 11th-century Christian crusades his tattoos point to."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #WhiteChristianNationalism
/5
"He then adjusted FDR’s 'arsenal of democracy' quote to say, ''Not only are we warriors armed with the arsenal of freedom, we ultimately are armed with the arsenal of faith.'
His beliefs take on a deeper and quite disturbing dynamic when one considers his tattoos. He has a Jerusalem Cross on his chest, which is a symbol tied to the Crusades, when many European Christians attempted to retake the Holy Land from Muslims."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #WhiteChristianNationalism
/4
During a recent press conference at the Pentagon, he also quoted Psalm 44 by saying, 'Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.'
At the national prayer breakfast, Hegseth emphasized his belief that America is a 'Christian nation' and needs to defend that identity."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #WhiteChristianNationalism
/3
"Hegseth talks often about how God is on his side and has said that Iran shouldn’t doubt the US’s resolve because it is backed by God. He said, 'Our capabilities are better. Our will is better. Our troops are better. The providence of our almighty God is there protecting those troops, and we’re committed to this mission.'”
~ Benjamin Cremer
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #WhiteChristianNationalism
/2
With about half of Americans supporting some version of Christian nationalist ideology, it's impossible to ignore the centrality of that ideology to Trump-Hegseth's war against Iran.
As Zachary B. Wolf says,
"Hegseth has long wanted to reprogram the country.
'America was founded as a Christian nation,' he said at a recent National Prayer Breakfast."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #WhiteChristianNationalism
/1
"The current administration’s approach to Iran is emblematic of a larger, systemic failure: the 'Cosplay Crusader' mentality. This is the belief that brute force—big planes, expensive toys, and naming ships after oneself—is a substitute for historical literacy and diplomatic strategy.
There is a deep-seated, toxic hubris at play here. It is the same delusional white supremacy that:"
~ Danielle Moodie
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #WhiteSupremacy
/1
daniellemoodie.substack.com/p/…
The Illusion of Invincibility: Why Brute Force Is Failing the American Empire
The End of the “Middleman” Era and the High Cost of Strategic HubrisDanielle Moodie (The DAM Digest)
"But they don't care. They're cosplay crusaders tatted up as white supremacists just holding a cross. And Jesus is a mascot."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #WhiteChristianNationalism #violence #WhiteSupremacy #racism
/4
"And they're not at all interested in what Jesus has said, because if they actually were interested in what Jesus said, they would feed the poor. They would actually have USAID. They would have SNAP benefits. They would make sure women were treated well. They would not have these belligerent wars. They would not fund the genocide."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #WhiteChristianNationalism #violence #WhiteSupremacy #racism
/3
Wajahat Ali, who is Muslim and educated in a Jesuit school, says,
"These people have hijacked Jesus and used him as a mascot. They put duct tape over his mouth and they've slung an AR-15 around him and said, You shut your mouth. We've got the wheel. And in Jesus's name, we're going to be white supremacists. That's all it is. It's about power and racism and greed."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #WhiteChristianNationalism #violence #WhiteSupremacy #racism
/2
joyannreid.com/p/joy-ann-reid-…
Joy Ann Reid Has INFURIATED MAGA Yet Again! This Time Over Trump and Iran
A recording from Joy-Ann Reid and THE LEFT HOOK with Wajahat Ali's live videoJoy-Ann Reid (Welcome to Joy's House!)
"The greatest theological trick the American Church ever pulled was marrying Dispensationalism with Christian Nationalism. One says the world is doomed to burn; the other says they're entitled to rule it. When you fuse them, you get an empire that believes it has a divine mandate to rule the world by actively setting it on fire. It's a theology of absolute violence."
~ Faithful Citizen Podcast
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #WhiteChristianNationalism #violence
/1
Separated from the base by a wall painted with bright murals, the #ShajarehTayyebeh #School was the northernmost building hit on February 28. The building was destroyed during the barrage, & 150 #students were killed, according to #Iran's ambassador to the #UN in Geneva, Ali Bahreini. Reuters has not independently confirmed the death toll, which the Iranian Red Crescent said reached 175.
#war #Trump #Hegseth #US #WarCrimes #RulesOfWar #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #MiddleEast
An #Iran #girls #school that took a direct hit on the first day of the #war had a yearslong online presence, including dozens of photos of the #children & their activities, before it was bombed along with at least 6 other buildings in an adjacent military compound, a Reuters investigation found.
The school’s online activity calls into question how the #US #military vets & reviews strike locations.…
#war #Trump #Hegseth #WarCrimes #RulesOfWar #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #MiddleEast
"So, guess what Trump has “chosen” to do?
Trump has elected to escalate the war in Iran over the coming weeks. …
The only true choice Trump has is to withdraw U.S. forces from the region, whether he does it sooner or much later. …
Trump’s problem, and therefore ours too, is his own pride and ego."
"Iran’s actions are what’s known as a 'horizontal' escalation, meaning a widening of the war to involve more parties and more pain for all.
Now comes the Hobson’s choice: Trump can double down on the war by escalating U.S. attacks and committing us to even greater military involvement. Or he can cut our losses sooner and admit political defeat.
~ Jay Kuo
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity
/28
statuskuo.substack.com/p/trump…
Trump Faces A Hobson’s Choice in Iran
The President believes he can escalate his way out of war, but we already know how this ends.Jay Kuo (The Status Kuo)
"Major media aren’t paying enough attention to how Israel’s Bibi Netanyahu manipulated Trump into the war. Early on, WaPo had a strong story about Netanyahu’s prodding, and the NYT has addressed the risks of the U.S.-Israel war alliance. But more must be written."
~ Mark Jacob
#Trump #Hegseth #Netanyahu #Bibi #Iran #war #stupidity #media
/25
stopthepresses.news/p/trump-ca…
Trump can’t handle the truth about the war
So far, major media’s coverage is a departure from past failuresMark Jacob (Stop the Presses)
"I have been saying since the beginning that America is playing checkers while Iran plays chess, but it’s worse than that. American leadership is utterly incoherent: We won, but we need help. We hate our allies; but will our adversaries please come bail us out?"
Jonathan V. Last
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity
/26
thebulwark.com/p/the-war-devel…
The War Development(s) That Should Truly Scare Us
How Iran could speed up de-dollarization and how Trump could put boots on the ground in Iran—sort of.Jonathan V. Last (The Bulwark)
“'Demand their participation'? 'Calling upon the world to take care of this problem'? Mike Waltz’s dumb boss (and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu) decided to do this dumb shit. The rest of the world does not have to be dragged because after they dove into this without consulting them, Leroy Jenkins-style."
~ Michael Mora
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #Canada #NATO #allies
/24
"Because when you’ve spent years bullying and humiliating them, pulling out of alliances, slapping tariffs, threatening to abandon NATO and then one day you desperately need them to help you open a 33km strait, don’t be surprised when nobody is in a rush to answer your call."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #Canada #NATO #allies
/23
"Two brutal lessons from the Strait of Hormuz crisis:
1. No matter how powerful your navy or how big your superpower status, if geography isn’t in your favour, you’re stuck.
2. Treat your allies with respect."
~ Brown Reporter
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #Canada #NATO #allies
/22
threads.com/@brownreporteroffi…
Brown Reporter | News (@brownreporterofficial) on Threads
Two brutal lessons from the Strait of Hormuz crisis: 1. No matter how powerful your navy or how big your superpower status, if geography isn’t in your favour, you’re stuck. 2. Treat your allies with respect.Threads
"WSJ: White House Tries to Build Coalition on Iran to Address Energy Crisis
Bloomberg: Trump Floats Xi Summit Delay If China Doesn’t Help in Hormuz
NYT: Nations Respond With Caution to Trump’s Call to Send Warships to Strait of Hormuz
While accurate, the headlines don’t quite do justice the mix of magical thinking, narcissistic indignation, and pseudo-economics Trump spent the weekend trafficking in."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #Canada #NATO #allies
/21
"The foolery reached new heights over the weekend as President Trump veritably begged other nations, including rival China, to rescue him from his self-own in the Strait of Hormuz. …
The headlines are almost comical:
WaPo: Trump urges world to help open Strait of Hormuz
Politico: Trump demands ‘about 7′ countries join coalition to police Iran’s Strait of Hormuz"
~ David Kurtz
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #Canada #NATO #allies
/20
morningmemo.talkingpointsmemo.…
Desperate Trump Begs for Help to Escape Iran Fiasco
INSIDE: Pete Hegseth ... Brendan Carr ... Jeanine PirroDavid Kurtz (Morning Memo)
"According to the Daily Beast and NBC4, family members of Tech Sgt. Tyler Simmons, one of six U.S. airmen killed when a refueling aircraft crashed during operations tied to the Iran war, criticized the conflict as unnecessary and said his death could have been prevented. ...
Their comments came as President Donald Trump spent the weekend golfing…."
~ Aaron Parnas
"Today, as the country enters its third week of war against Iran, President Donald J. Trump was on the golf course, illustrating the observation of journalist E.J. Dionne in the New York Times that 'from the very beginning of this war, we got a sense that there wasn’t a great deal of serious thought put into it'" (continued in /16)
~ Heather Cox Richardson
UPDATE ON THE HORMUZ COALITION (Mon, March 16):
🇫🇷 France: REJECTED
🇬🇧 UK: REJECTED
🇮🇹 Italy: REJECTED
🇪🇸 Spain: REJECTED
🇯🇵 Japan: REJECTED
🇳🇴 Norway: REJECTED
🇨🇦 Canada: REJECTED
🇦🇺 Australia: REJECTED
🇩🇪 Germany: REJECTED
🇨🇳 China: NO RESPONSE
🇳🇱 Netherlands: NO RESPONSE
🇰🇷 South Korea: NO CONFIRMATION
~ News Eye
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #NATO #Canada #allies
/14
"The president made the contradictory comment to reporters on Air Force One after pleading with European and Nato allies to enter the war in Iran to help the US secure the strait amid the largest oil supply disruption in history."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #NATO #Canada #allies
/13
"Donald Trump drew a backlash on Sunday for suggesting US efforts to protect the Strait of Hormuz were unnecessary – and that 'maybe we shouldn’t even be there at all' because his country has plenty of oil of its own."
~ Richard Luscombe
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #NATO #Canada #allies
/12
theguardian.com/world/2026/mar…
Trump draws backlash for comment on Iran war: ‘Maybe we shouldn’t even be there’
President made contradictory comment to reporters on Air Force One after pleading with allies to help US secure strait of HormuzRichard Luscombe (The Guardian)
"The response to the Trump’s trial balloon of a global coation to provide escorts was decidedly negative. ...
Trump is just beginning to understand the ramifications of trash-talking our allies for the last year. Having been dismissed and demeaned, they are in no hurry to help the US fix the crisis that Trump created."
~ Robert B. Hubbell
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #NATO #Canada #allies
/10
"But this isn’t a case of oderint dum metuant — let them hate so long as they fear. Instead, the world increasingly holds America in contempt. ...
What’s especially depressing about that Politico poll is that it was taken a month ago. That is, it reflects international attitudes before the debacle in Iran."
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #NATO #Canada #allies
/9
"A stunning poll from Politico — just released, but taken last month — confirms what I and other observers strongly suspected: America is now widely despised, despised like nobody has ever been despised before.
I don’t mean that we’re disliked, although that too."
~ Paul Krugman
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #NATO #Canada #allies
/8
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/no-…
No, America is Not Respected
Thanks to Trump, we’re held in contempt even by our closest alliesPaul Krugman
"In the span of only sixty weeks, the military and economic alliances that shaped the 20th century, ensured relative* peace in the world, and signaled the arrival of a superpower unlike any the world had ever seen have been, functionally, broken."
~ Sam Osterhout
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #Europe #NATO #Canada #allies
/6
lincolnsquare.media/p/winners-…
Winners & Losers | Small Men Want to Destroy the World
.Independent media Is our only hope.Sam Osterhout (Lincoln Square)
"It’s difficult to select one of Trump’s Cabinet members as the stupidest. But Pete Hegseth stands out for sheer boneheaded ignorance.
Pray for America and the world."
~ Robert Reich
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #MalignantNarcissism #ignorance #BonheadedIgnorance
/5
"It turns out that Trump’s 'feeling' he could pull it off was baseless, perhaps a function of untreated malignant narcissism."
~ Jennifer Rubin
#Trump #Hegseth #Iran #war #stupidity #MalignantNarcissism
/4
contrariannews.org/p/trumps-wa…
Trump’s War is the Worst Conceived in American History
Ignoring experts comes at a steep priceJennifer Rubin (The Contrarian)