51 Comments

Hegseth is just being a realist. I agree with what he said, and Russia won't negotiate without getting what Hegseth said.

Besides, what, is Trump the only one who can say allegedly stupid things?

I'm all for the SECDEF on this one.

Expand full comment

good post.

Expand full comment

I heard the same from someone else in the admin, I think it was the White House Spokesperson, but it may of been Sec of State or another, someone who was a recent guest on the Clay and Buck show. I fail to see how stating the obvious, hell it has been obvious for a couple of years now, is an issue. It has been reported that Putin offered a deal early on in the war but that then British PM Boris Johnson scuttled the deal. It seems to me that Russia has long been open to an end to the war but too many in the West, in our own congress, both parties, are getting too much in kickbacks to let the war end. I see Sec Defense’s statements as putting pressure on these corrupt PoS’s to accept peace in Ukraine.

Expand full comment

its not an issue, he walked back what Trump stated himself...I think we will see how junior he is in this post. ill-prepared and lacks the stature...I saw it in the huge meeting yesterday, he walked around as if looking for a seat. optics are everything. on FOX its one thing, this is the real world

Expand full comment

In time we shall all be wiser.

Expand full comment

That is unfortunate.

Expand full comment

Hegseth appears not to love the cross-dresser who plays piano with his willie. That is getting a lot of push back from people who think the US should be funnelling trillions of bucks to him.

Expand full comment

in that I support Pete

Expand full comment

I gather that T is not so happy with all the money the US sends to that country and funneled back as kickbacks to the corrupt in the US, and that started before the war.

Expand full comment

Boris was ready to come to the table, but resident biden put an end to it.

Expand full comment

It is not surprising the Biden did not want to end the war, but it was reported that Boris didn’t want to either. But it was also reported that masks work against viruses, so….

Expand full comment

anyone with half a brain realizes what hesgeth said is actually a reduction in terms from the 2014 treaty almost signed between Ukraine and Russia before the UK figurehead fucked it up.

being realistic isn't a mistake if you actually want participation from the larger country

Expand full comment

I never thought I'd agree with a far left useful idiot and apologist for Netanyahu like zDave S on anything but I agree with him, or whatever Dave's pronouns are, on this one.

Expand full comment

I cheered in my own living room upon hearing Hegseth speak. I don't believe that Hegseth, in his first appearance on the international stage, would have made any remarks not fully vetted by the Administration. He was speaking from notes -- not 'off the cuff.' I appreciate his un-selfconscious confidence. His audience may not have been happy but they knew he was pulling back the curtain on their fantasies.

I hope the collapse of the EU, as a unit imposing its will on each of its member nations, like it or not, is not far off and that the various Europen nations acting on their own self-interest for the benefit of their respective populations, in balance with their neighbors, will re-emerge stronger.

I was pleased to see the faces of the miserable EU leaders and NATO apologists when Hegseth forced them to face reality. They bear a great deal of responsibility for the deaths and displacement of their own fellow European people of Ukraine. And they must face the fact that a new President has stopped the hemorrhaging of U.S. treasure into the black hole of Zelensky's corrupt Ukraine.

Expand full comment

Sorry doc, but your Russia Russia Russia cries are gonna fall on mostly deaf ears here. Ukraine was a criminal action by the deep state, to hide evidence of culpability in the largest, most vile undertaking of any government ever, with the invention of a fake virus and a kill shot designed to sicken and kill. And guess who’s got the proof? That’s right, doc. Vlad has the proof. And it will be out. One of the things the CIA’s war is going to cost us is some concessions regarding Russia. Do you know how many people,both democrats and republicans should be executed over that war? Most of them. That’s a lot of politicians. If I were Ukrainians, I’d be hunting Americans in Ukraine. And anyone involved in those NGO’s over there. For the devastating effects of covering ass. And vlad is entitled. That’s his world, not ours.

Expand full comment

It seems like this is less of an issue than media would like to admit. It’s been clear for a long time that one of the reasons Russia went into Ukraine was because the rest of Europe kept saying that each border state/country needed to be part of NATO. This also seems to discount the point that Russia had already suggested such. Just my thoughts and I’m not sure Trump sees it a lot differently based on what I’m reading. I could be wrong.

Expand full comment

You're not wrong and Musk needs to instruct Trump not to make a big deal about this. Musk does not need to be distracted from running the country by much ado about nothing. He already has his hands full with DOGE and needs to be able to delegate to Trump and Vance in the same way they in turn delegate to Hegseth etc. Hegseth should not to have to clear everything with Trump in the same way that Trump should not have to clear the minutiae with Elon.

Expand full comment

How was Musk involved?

Expand full comment

Yep like Biden got Barack's, Jill's and Hunter's ok. Or Bush 2 got Rove's and Daddy's ok. Or Clinton got Hillary's ok. Must I go on? They all have advisors. Get a life.

Expand full comment

Hopefully he's not or only minimally involved. Hopefully he can just instruct Trump on what to do so that this can all be dealt with at lower levels of the hierarchy of the US administration without having to go right up the chain to Elon at the top,

Expand full comment

Speaking truthfully is never a fuck up. It will build respect with Russia, who has all the cards. Fuck this leverage bullshit, Putin wins, period.

Expand full comment

American hubris and miscalculation has resulted in Mr. & Mrs. Poseidon quietly taking up permanent residence off both East and West coastlines. Only losers here, sorry.

Expand full comment

Or this may be that the Woke and Neocon contingents that hates Pete and what he stands for are trying to make him hesitant to speak out so clearly.

Expand full comment

Correct!

Expand full comment

What makes you think Trump had any leverage regarding NATO in Ukraine in the first place?

Russia views this as a existential threat and any NATO troops on the ground would likely lead to your and your families vaporization. Trump is not suicidal

Expand full comment

Looks like basic GoodCop-BadCop routine

Got the message out. Any idiotz hollering about civil rights (or the old/tired Putin-Bad crap) just got played

Media mutts who wanta use this against Trump just showed their cards prematurely

That was the idea, dummies

Expand full comment

Ukraine is not going to be allowed to join NATO. Anyone being realistic and paying attention knows this. Thus not a news flash and really not a big givaway.

putin and the Russian Federation already know this. It is not negotiable.

Maybe Hegseth needs a little more finesse. Maybe he did exactly what he was supposed to do by clarifying this fact before any meeeting between Trump and Putin happens.

Expand full comment

He shouldn’t have walked it back!

Expand full comment

Damn right he shouldn't have. You are absolutely correct. He walked it back like a f*cking neocon. He was right to say what he said initially.

Expand full comment

The only benefit I can find in Hegseth's unfortunate follow-up remarks (I always look for a benefit) is in Hegseth's leaving the EU leaders and other European hawks off-balance and without a platform to criticize Trump from, w/r/t peace negotiations. They should be relieved and grateful Trump is masterfully digging them out of an untenable war of attrition in their own back yard.

Btw, I'd like to see Zelensky's face when he realizes his seat at the negotiating table is at the kids' table.

Expand full comment

It make sense in the bigger picture as he basically confirmed that there's no point in shipping billions "to Ukraine" so that's settled. I doubt he screwed up as everything including communications seems planned to a tee so far.

Expand full comment

I can't stand Pete Hegseth, he stood in front of the cameras and claimed he stands with Israel and theres a flag that says, "Israel First". Anyone who talks like that should not have a place anywhere in government. Besides he came from FOX "news", what the hell is Trump even thinking, oh wait, I know what he's thinking, "I have to please my boss"

Expand full comment
7dEdited

I agree with you. I dont think anyone has a problem with Israel (just like any other state) or "Jews" in itself, the problem is that Israel basically genocided Gaza and killed many thousands of innocent civilists but there are no words about that by the US administration, they just act like nothing happened, they try to sweep it under the rug just like the mRNA shots.

Expand full comment

Correct. There are many young Israelis who were born there and had no control over that just asJewish and other people have no control over what ethnicity or religion they are born into. They do not all support the fascist administration there or its genocidal actions.

Expand full comment

Well. Lets a take a deep breath. Go back over history. Putin was OK with NATO and the West. Putin only stipulation was NOT to have NATO encroach on Russia (aka not an inch further). There was zippo Russian aggression UNTIL... you guessed it... the military industrial complex (MIC) and NATO poked the Russian Bear. The USA would have reacted the same if roles were reversed.

So, no. Russia wont give back territory. Don't blame them. Its a life lesson for NATO and the money laundering MIC.

Don't eat where you shit in order to avoid a bad taste in your mouth. NATO and the MIC will have to take a big bite out of the negotiation shit burger.... and like it.

Russia is neither our friend or enemy. Its a sovereign country and should be treated as such.

Expand full comment

I don't have a problem with what he said.

Expand full comment