Right here is the furry query.
Did Secretary of Struggle Pete Hegseth intention at Vice President JD Vance, a doable 2028 rival, in his struggle on “beardos” within the army?
Vance, in spite of everything, does sport a beard, though he Will not be within the army. However he’s second in command to President Donald Trump, the commander in chief.
Vance may even be a contested frontrunner to succeed Trump. A type of contestants might be Hegseth.
So, it might develop into a preliminary “Battle of the Beard” between the clean-shaven Hegseth and the Lincolnesque bearded Vance.
If Vance instantly comes out clear shaven, you’ll know that Hegseth has gained an early skirmish.
Hegseth made his feedback about banning beards within the miliary throughout his speech earlier than an uncommon gathering of lots of of generals and admirals at Quantico final Tuesday.
In that speech, wherein he referred to as for the tip of “woke garbage” within the army—together with the banning of “dudes in dresses” –he additionally introduced that the elimination of beards within the army.
“No more beardos,” he mentioned. “The era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done.”
Which led one observer to ask, “Is he talking about banning beardos or weirdos?”
In all probability each.
Though not addressing Vance, Hegseth mentioned to the gathering, “If you need a beard, you possibly can be part of Particular Forces.
“If not, then shave. We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans, but, unfortunately, we have had leaders who either refuse to call BS and enforce standards, or leaders who felt they were not allowed to enforce standards. Both are unacceptable.”
Each Hegseth, 45, and Vance, 41, are veterans. Hegseth, a Princeton graduate, served in Iraq as an infantry officer and later in Afghanistan with the Minnesota Nationwide Guard. He was embellished and ended his army profession with the rank of main.
Vance, 41, joined the U.S, Marines in 2003 after graduating from highschool. He was deployed to Iraq in 2005 for six months serving as a Marine Corp correspondent. His rank upon discharge was corporal.
Whereas Hegseth could have outranked Vance prior to now, Vance outranks him now, no less than in concept.
Each males had been shock picks by Trump. Vance was a Ohio senator when Trump selected hm as his operating mate, and Hegseth was a tv commentator on Fox Information when Trump chosen him for then Secretary of the Protection (now Struggle) Division.
The distinction between the 2 is that Hegseth runs the Struggle Division and the massive worldwide U.S. army machine. Outdoors of president, it’s the largest job in authorities.
Vance, in the meantime, as vice chairman, primarily doesn’t run something. Outdoors of being round to interrupt a tie within the Senate, or changing a deceased or incapacitated president, the vice chairman has few duties.
Nonetheless, in Vance’s case, Trump has given him a number one position in talking for him and the administration each at dwelling and overseas, and he has been efficient at it.
When he speaks, you realize that it’s Trump speaking. The one downside is that Trump by no means stops speaking.
You could possibly additionally hear Trump speaking, with a bit extra articulation, by means of Hegseth, nonetheless, when he vowed to get rid of the “politically correct and toxic ideological garbage that has infected” the army.
“No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses, no more climate change worship, no more division, distraction or gender delusions, no more debris. As I’ve said before, we are done with that shit.”
It’s sufficient to make me wish to reenlist—or no less than get a shave.
Veteran political reporter Peter Lucas may be reached at: [email protected]
