Hegseth Clashes with Jeffries Over Military DEI Policies
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded sharply to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ criticism of efforts to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies from the U.S. military.
In a recent interview on Fox News, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended his stance on purging DEI-related content from military academies, following harsh criticism from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Jeffries had referred to Hegseth and other Trump appointees as ‘Dumb Effing Individuals’ in a social media video, a play on the DEI acronym. Hegseth countered by highlighting what he perceives as a decline in Democratic strategies, stating, ‘That’s how far they have fallen. It’s astonishing, not surprising.’ He emphasized his focus on strengthening the military through merit-based and colorblind policies, rather than what he described as ‘wasteful’ DEI initiatives.
Hegseth also touched on broader foreign policy achievements under his watch, including a historic deal to curb Chinese influence in the Panama Canal and ongoing efforts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear capabilities. These moves, he argued, demonstrate a commitment to ‘peace through strength’ and a revival of the ‘warrior culture’ within the military. Jeffries, on the other hand, vowed to continue pressuring what he called ’extremists’ behind the move to eliminate DEI from military education.