The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of extremism and critiques of military policies related to diversity.

Language Note: This section of the guide reflects Hegseth’s use of potentially offensive terms like “racial quotas” and “diversity hire.” These terms are preserved to accurately represent the source text’s arguments.

Hegseth’s critique of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the US military holds that these policies prioritize identity over merit, leading to a breakdown in cohesion, readiness, and combat effectiveness. Hegseth frames DEI as a new form of segregation, suggesting that modern racial and gender quotas mirror past discriminatory practices. While he acknowledges historical struggles for racial equality within the military, he contends that current DEI policies reverse progress by creating new, ideologically driven forms of favoritism.

Hegseth asserts that DEI metrics, identified through potentially offensive terms such as “diversity hires” and “representation quotas,” now influence recruitment, promotions, and leadership selection, displacing traditional merit-based advancement. He draws on his military experience to argue that combat survival depends on competence, not identity. To illustrate this point, he references military traditions of earning awards and promotions through performance. By focusing on symbolic “firsts” (like the first female generals or minority officers in certain roles), he claims that the military diverts attention from operational readiness to political optics.