FOX First: Two former Navy SEALs plan to bring hundreds of veterans to Washington, D.C., next week to march in support of Pete Hegseth’s confirmation as Secretary of Defense.
Hegseth, a former Army National Guard member, is scheduled to appear at a military committee hearing on Tuesday ahead of the confirmation vote.
The group, organized by Bill Brown and Rob Sweetman, plans to “pack as many veterans into the hearing as possible.” They plan to have veterans line up outside the building where the Senate hearing will be held several hours before the building opens and the hearing begins at 9:30 a.m.
The two met through Hegseth’s participation in the annual New York City SEAL swim in the Hudson River, sponsored by Brown.
A group of veterans will also gather at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at 9 a.m. to march in support of Hegseth. Brown is asking all veterans to join the group and bring their American flags.
Pete Hegseth says he hasn’t heard from West Point since employees refused to accept him.
“There’s something really powerful about having that support, not just on social media, but physically,” Sweetman said. His organization, 62Romeo, helps decommissioned veterans get their sleep back and also helps sponsor events.
Sweetman expects at least 100 SEALs and hundreds of other veterans to participate.
Two former Navy SEALs are planning to bring hundreds of veterans to Washington, D.C., next week to march in support of Pete Hegseth’s confirmation as Secretary of Defense. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Mr. Brown said that he and others are against the backdrop of “the utter disappointment that many in the military, many who have served our country, wars and overseas, have with the current leadership of the Department of Defense.” He said people had started organizing marches.
Jurandir “J” Araujo, Hegseth’s first commander when Hegseth was stationed at Guantanamo Bay prison in 2004, said at the time that Hegseth would someday become president. He told FOX News Digital that he often told his co-workers that it was the case.
“I immediately recognized his commitment and commitment to the mission and not only to the mission but to his men.”
“As a young second lieutenant and platoon leader, Pete cared about not only training and mentoring his men, but also being a part of their daily lives,” Araujo said. “He always cared very much about the military and making sure they were happy with what they were doing there.
“I always saw something special in him,” Araujo continued. “I gave him the call sign as a Double-A lieutenant, which stands for All-American.”
“I decided to tell the first sergeant, I said, you know, I said, ‘Lieutenant’ Hegseth, be prepared, this guy is going to be president one day. ”
Hegseth’s nomination has been rocked by allegations that the former Army National Guard and Fox News host drank too much and acted inappropriately toward women.
A recently unearthed 2017 police report revealed allegations of sexual assault against Hegseth, which he vehemently denies. Some take issue with his past statements that women should not serve in combat roles.
Some still can’t believe he has the right experience for the job, even though he retired as a major leaguer.
President-elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his wife Jennifer Hegseth walk through the Hart Senate Office Building after meeting with Senate Republicans in Washington, DC, December 3, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Veterans who have come to support him in Washington, D.C., are undaunted by the allegations.
“Both the Lt. Hegseth I knew and the Pete Hegseth I know today are men of integrity,” Araujo said. “That’s what I measure myself against in terms of leadership and my ability to lead people and this country.
“His views on women in combat are the same as mine,” Brown said. “The focus should be on how to make us the most lethal and combat-effective force possible.”
“We’re not little guys, we’re big guys with muscles. Most women would have a hard time pulling me out of danger with my plates and gear. This is just the truth… Pete I was talking openly about love.”
Both Mr. Brown and Mr. Sweetman said they were outraged by the Afghanistan withdrawal and took action after the Pentagon failed seven consecutive audits. They want Mr. Hegseth to hold those responsible for the withdrawal accountable and cut waste at the Pentagon.
“There is gross corruption, fraud, waste and abuse at the Department of Defense,” Brown said. “No one has been held accountable for the travesty in Afghanistan.”
“We’re spending a lot of money on some of the defense contractor efforts,” Sweetman said. “There are no checks and balances on some of these big contracts with some of the big companies that are partnering with the government. So, especially as we’re talking, we’re looking at huge budgets. “But a lot of it goes unaccounted for.” Regarding the audit, why don’t you know where the money is being spent? ”
As a young soldier, Angelo Martinez served with Hegseth in Cuba, where Hegseth was his platoon leader. Martinez is currently a sergeant and has been in the Army for 21 years.
“It was also great to meet, and not meet, so many famous people and officials,” he said.
‘The greatest warriors’: Hegseth slams ‘misunderstood’ narrative of being hostile to military women
“The difference between him and other officers is that very few people treat other people, non-commissioned officers, as equals. They don’t treat you as equals, but they see you as an equal human being.”
“A lot of officers seem to look up to us as non-commissioned officers in the U.S. Army, but he takes the time to get to know the Soldiers, understand you, listen to your opinions, understand your point of view, etc. He was one of the few people who listened to me. He was one of the few who cared.”
“Actually, I’m retiring from the military, and I joke that one of the last few things I can do here is to oust and hang another secretary of defense.” [Hegseth] On the wall,” Martinez said.
The noncommissioned officer said he believed the fact that Hegseth did not retire as a colonel or general was a plus, and while the officers were scuba diving on a break in Cuba, Hegseth and his platoon were on duty. I remembered when I was working. “He didn’t join them, he felt he needed to be with us.”
“He’s not a police officer who just sits there and says, ‘You know what? I’m just going to sit and supervise and I don’t have to do the grunt work.'” He doesn’t have the rank of colonel or a star. But instead of distancing himself, he seems to sit still within us, as if someone above us is looking down. ”
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Martinez continued, “I’ve been asked by people about who he was, how people had mixed feelings about him, what he did, and you know… Many people sometimes misunderstand who he is, but once you get to know him, you’ll probably be more satisfied that he gets the job. I will.”
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