Kelly Blasts Hegseth as Childlike and Embarrassing, Accusing Defense Secretary of Playing Army
In a scathing criticism, Democratic senator Mark Kelly has compared Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth to a 12-year-old "playing army" after taking issue with the defense secretary's perceived machismo. Kelly's comments have added fuel to growing concerns about Hegseth's suitability for the position.
During his time leading the Pentagon, Hegseth allegedly exhibited behavior reminiscent of a child puffing out their chest on stage, according to Kelly. The senator accused Hegseth of "running around" in this manner, saying it is "ridiculous" and "embarrassing." Kelly's remarks suggest that he believes Hegseth's antics have made him unfit for office.
Kelly also referenced a recent tweet from Hegseth featuring a parody children's book character launching a rocket-propelled grenade at drug boats. The senator described the image as an example of Hegseth's childishness, pointing out its absurdity and wondering what it says about his credibility.
Hegseth recently faced backlash for his handling of a September attack on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. Pilots allegedly followed orders to "kill them all" after Hegseth instructed them to do so. Kelly has been vocal in his criticism of this incident, which he calls a war crime by some Trump administration detractors.
Kelly's comments highlight concerns about Hegseth's leadership style and judgment, particularly given the gravity of the responsibilities at the Pentagon. The senator's words also underscore the perceived disconnect between Hegseth's actions and the seriousness of the office he holds.
In a scathing criticism, Democratic senator Mark Kelly has compared Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth to a 12-year-old "playing army" after taking issue with the defense secretary's perceived machismo. Kelly's comments have added fuel to growing concerns about Hegseth's suitability for the position.
During his time leading the Pentagon, Hegseth allegedly exhibited behavior reminiscent of a child puffing out their chest on stage, according to Kelly. The senator accused Hegseth of "running around" in this manner, saying it is "ridiculous" and "embarrassing." Kelly's remarks suggest that he believes Hegseth's antics have made him unfit for office.
Kelly also referenced a recent tweet from Hegseth featuring a parody children's book character launching a rocket-propelled grenade at drug boats. The senator described the image as an example of Hegseth's childishness, pointing out its absurdity and wondering what it says about his credibility.
Hegseth recently faced backlash for his handling of a September attack on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. Pilots allegedly followed orders to "kill them all" after Hegseth instructed them to do so. Kelly has been vocal in his criticism of this incident, which he calls a war crime by some Trump administration detractors.
Kelly's comments highlight concerns about Hegseth's leadership style and judgment, particularly given the gravity of the responsibilities at the Pentagon. The senator's words also underscore the perceived disconnect between Hegseth's actions and the seriousness of the office he holds.
i mean, who plays army? 
hegseth's tweet was so cringeworthy lol idk if u can take a joke or not but it sounds like hegseth needs to grow up and stop trying 2 be the cool dad 
yeah, that's just cringeworthy. It's not exactly what you'd expect from the head of the Pentagon. But at the same time, I do think there's some validity to Kelly's concerns. I mean, Hegseth did get pilloried for his handling of those drug boats in the Caribbean... 
. And yeah, his leadership style does seem kinda... childish 
. Like, come on, Pete, get some gravitas 
. The Pentagon isn't exactly a playground, you know? 
like a 12-year-old playing army in real life? is it possible to have too much machismo or does he just not get the seriousness of being defense sec? i mean, who tweets a parody kids book character launching rpgs at boats and expects us to take him seriously? kelly's right, it does seem kinda embarrassing 
! Like, seriously, how can you compare someone to a 12-year-old playing army? 
... and the September attack incident? That's a serious red flag 
! Maybe Kelly should focus on his own agenda instead of criticizing Hegseth so harshly 
i'm not saying hegseth is the worst person ever, but maybe he should focus on being a straight shooter instead of trying to be some kinda superhero 
.
. We need people in positions of power who can take themselves seriously, who can show us what it means to be responsible and dignified leaders 
. And I worry that if we don't start calling out this kind of behavior when we see it, we're going to keep getting people like Hegseth who are more interested in playing the part than actually doing the job 
.
? Not exactly the kind of leadership we need from someone in charge of our military 
.
hegseth needs to grow up and stop being a kid in the army 
. Either way, gotta wonder what kind of "army" Hegseth's got running around in there 
. Kelly's accusing him of being childish and embarrassing, but isn't that just a little harsh? 
.
. This guy needs to be taken seriously as a leader and stop acting like a try-hard wannabe 
it's not even funny anymore. and what's with the whole 'kill them all' thing? that was some wild orders to give 
. The Pentagon deserves better than someone who seems more interested in posing for selfies than taking charge 
I'm telling u, there's something fishy about Pete Hegseth. First off, that tweet about the parody kids book character launching a grenade at drug boats? 
What if Hegseth stumbled upon somethin we're not supposed to know? Maybe he was gettin too close to the truth and now he's payin the price. You feel me? 
#HegsethFail #KellySlayed