Pete Hegseth Pens WSJ Op-Ed: “I Won’t Back Down”

Pete Hegseth writes for the Wall Street Journal:

The press is peddling anonymous story after anonymous story, all meant to smear me and tear me down. It’s a textbook manufactured media takedown. They provide no evidence, no names, and they ignore the legions of people who speak on my behalf. They need to create a bogeyman, because they believe I threaten their institutional insanity. That is the only thing they are right about.

Talk to those who served with me in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, Afghanistan or the National Guard. They support me, and I’m honored by that. I have never backed down from a fight and won’t back down from this one. I am grateful President-elect Trump chose me to lead the Defense Department, and I look forward to an honest confirmation hearing with our distinguished senators—not a show trial in the press.

Read the full op-ed. No paywall.

I’ve Faced Fire Before. I Won’t Back Down by @PeteHegseth https://t.co/IYbqpcuqVK via @WSJopinion

— Matthew Continetti (@continetti) December 4, 2024

‘Why would I back down?’: Embattled Pete Hegseth says Trump told him to keep fighting https://t.co/dYhKHUCR7L

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) December 4, 2024