Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth, reeling from days of unflattering headlines in his first few weeks on the job, out of the blue launched an assault on Monday on the Biden administration that raised extra questions on his habits.
Since being confirmed on a partisan get together line vote with none Democratic help, Hegseth has pushed President Donald Trump’s anti-civil rights agenda on the division, purging packages meant to strengthen the navy by making it a various combating power. He has acquired rapid pushback, together with protests from kids on a navy base and a normal who referred to as the Trump actions “racist.”
On his first international journey in his new place, Hegseth instantly made remarks undermining Ukraine’s combat in opposition to Russian aggression. His assertion was condemned by a big selection of European leaders.Even Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, who voted to verify him, stated Hegseth was not making sense. On the identical journey, Hegseth invited an antisemitic conspiracy theorist, Jack Posobiec, to journey alongside him, creating one other wave of essential tales.
With out providing up any proof to again up his declare Hegseth wrote, “Of course the outgoing Biden IRS rushed an ‘audit’ of the incoming SecDef. Total sham. The party of ‘norms’ and ‘decency’ strikes again. We will never back down.” The assertion was posted alongside a picture purportedly from the IRS informing Hegseth that he and his spouse are being audited as a result of they owe over $33,000 in taxes.
Hegseth didn’t reveal when he really acquired the IRS letter, however whereas going by his Senate affirmation he by no means disclosed that he was below audit. If he knew in regards to the motion on the time, did he deliberately mislead Congress? Hegseth and the Trump staff working behind the scenes tried to intimidate witnesses who had been providing up testimony about his alleged abusive habits and misconduct, so was suppressing the IRS motion a part of these efforts?
Hegseth’s core argument additionally raises questions on his truthfulness. “The selection process [for an audit] is fenced off from the political appointees,” Nina Olson, govt director of the Middle for Taxpayer Rights advised the Washington Put up in response to Hegseth’s declare.
Steve Rosenthal, a former fellow on the Tax Coverage Middle, advised the outlet “in all my years, I’ve never seen the IRS pursue an individual for political purposes.” He stated that Hegseth being audited was a “remarkable coincidence” however added, “I believe the IRS.”
Hegseth spent his journey overseas articulating a world view based mostly on false masculinity, infamously arguing that “you can’t shoot values.” However as quickly as he received a bit bit of warmth he emotionally lashed out, coming throughout as extra of a whiner than the macho man he has presupposed to be all through his time within the public eye.
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