Could Trump start with preemptive firings at the Pentagon?

Firestorms of Armageddon proportions have broken out over President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed nominees for cabinet-level appointees. The choice of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as attorney general has been the lightning rod so far for attracting the most opposition fire.

Cleverly, to avoid the release of what appeared to have been a very damning ethics committee investigation of improper conduct, Gaetz resigned from Congress. But his resignation was from the 118th Congress, not the incoming 119th Congress to which he had been re-elected.

While Gaetz’s appointment may prove to be dead on arrival, it is unclear whether the same outcome will accompany the very controversial Robert Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services; Tulsi Gabbard as director of National Intelligence, for which she has no obvious qualifications in that sector or South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as secretary of Homeland Security whose experience is also lacking.

Following closely in terms of provoking a tsunami of negative reaction, is Fox talking head Pete Hegseth as secretary of Defense.

Presidents should have the option of choosing a cabinet. However, the confirmation process has never been automatic and all presidents have had difficulties.

President George H. W. Bush could not win confirmation for the former chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Sen. John Tower (R-Texas). He was sunk by Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) and other colleagues who resented Tower’s autocratic control of that committee. And Barack Obama’s Health and Human Services nominee, former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), was defeated.

Is Hegseth on a similar path to being denied confirmation?

His supporters argue that his CV sufficiently proves his ability to perform as secretary of Defense. A graduate of Princeton and Harvard, Hegseth served in the Minnesota National Guard in Afghanistan and Iraq, receiving two Bronze Stars. A Fox regular known for his tart commentary and a culture warrior, he has been a fervent and uncritical supporter of Donald Trump.

Frankly, none of Hegseth’s history automatically qualifies him for high office. Having degrees from Princeton, Harvard and other famous academic institutions did not insulate Robert McNamara’s “whiz kids” from failing in Vietnam.

Of course, Volodymyr Zelensky played a president on a TV comedy series and has done brilliantly so far as a real head of state and of government. But Hegseth has already informed the world as to where he stands in opposing so-called “woke” policies allegedly destroying morale and the fighting spirit of the U.S. military, going so far as suggesting (in jest) that the Department of Defense be renamed the War Department.

Hegseth has asserted that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. C.Q. Brown and Chief of Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti were examples of diversity and equal opportunities promotions. One, if not the most important reason why Trump has chosen Hegseth is to “cleanse” the department of the woke and DEI policies he says have eroded the nation’s military power.

Indeed, the leaked memo on a “Warrior’s Board” to convene an outside group to vet senior serving officers reinforced the intention to weed out targeted personnel from the Pentagon. Thus, if confirmed, would Hegseth ask for the resignations of both officers or summarily fire them?

This notion of “preemptive firing” of the flag and general offices for social or cultural reasons has no precedent. The closest was President Ronald Reagan and whether or not he would replace the then chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Air Force Gen. David Jones.

The allegations were that Jones was too close to President Jimmy Carter and thus tainted by the failures of that administration, especially Operation Bear Claw, the disastrous 1980 raid to free American hostages being held by Iranian “students” in the captured U.S. embassy in Tehran.

Former Secretaries of Defense Harold Brown and James Schlesinger came out strongly in defense of Jones. In a Washington Post op-ed, Schlesinger decried the use of preemptive firing as un-American. Common sense prevailed. Jones was not relieved and finished his term as chairman in 1982.

Where are the Harold Browns and Jim Schlesinger's today? Former Senator and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel wrote an op-ed in the New York Times warning against expelling senior officers accused of being too woke or carrying out administration policies now seen as unacceptable. So far Hagel is alone.

While I see no evidence of Hegseth’s unique qualifications to serve as secretary, in other circumstances, a president might be given the benefit of the doubt. Given Hegseth’s inflexibility on cultural and social issues, that alone should be disqualifying along with a colossal lack of relevant experience. Yet, “preemptive firing” can still happen.

Harlan Ullman is a senior advisor at the Atlantic Council. His 12th book, “The Fifth Horseman and the New MAD: How Massive Attacks of Disruption Became the Looming Existential Danger to a Divided Nation and the World at Large,” is available on Amazon.