Conservatives are applauding defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth for his traditional stances opposing women in the draft and in combat, calling it a welcome reversal of recent leftward shifts. President-elect Donald Trump nominated Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense, saying the Army veteran would help return the military to "meritocracy, lethality, accountability, and excellence." Hegseth is an author and Fox News contributor who has led two veteran advocacy organizations.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2024
Hegseth's views on women in combat, though, have sparked pushback from some.
"I'm straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles," Hegseth said recently on the Shawn Ryan podcast. "It hasn't made us more effective. It hasn't made us more lethal [and] has made fighting more complicated."
The issue, he said, is grounded in the biological differences between men and women.
"We all served with women, and they are great," Hegseth said. "It is just our institutions don't have to incentivize that in places where, over human history, men in those positions are more capable."
The Obama administration lifted the ban on women in combat.
Meanwhile, Hegseth also has said he opposes requiring women to register for the draft.
"It's the logical conclusion of the Left's perspective on this," he said in 2016. "If you're going to open up every combat role to women, then how can you say that the Selective Service isn't open to our daughters as well?"
Requiring women to register with the Selective Service System when they turn 18 is a "bad idea," he said.
"I don't think it improves our war-fighting capabilities. This administration has been all about social engineering and social justice from the beginning," he said in 2016 at the Obama White House.
Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) defended Hegseth, according to The Washington Times.
"There's roles and missions for everyone involved in the military," Mr. Zinke told CNN. "But when it comes to physical endurance, there's a difference between men and women. And let's call it the way it is."
Jessie Jane Duff of Veterans for Trump also defended Hegseth, writing, "Pete Hegseth knows the reality. The Marines did 9-month study that showed women in ground combat is a lethal mistake. President Obama completely discarded the study."
Agree. Pete Hegseth knows the reality. The Marines did 9 month study that showed women in ground combat is a lethal mistake. President Obama completely discarded the study. https://t.co/Ye9mxUpX28
— Gunnery Sergeant Jessie Jane Duff (@JessieJaneDuff) November 13, 2024
This year, Democrats and Republicans in Congress backed legislation that would have required women to register for Selective Service. The Center for Military Readiness has helped lead the fight against such legislation.
"Women have been serving in many non-traditional MOSs [Military Occupational Specialties], but physical differences between men and women, which are critically important in the combat arms, remain the same," the Center for Military Readiness said.
The organization added, "Some exceptional women may be able to meet minimal standards, but extensive research has shown that most women cannot meet combat arms standards while most men can. There is no justification for ordering all draft-age women to register."
Photo Credit: ©Facebook/Pete Hegseth
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.