There is no position in the U.S. government, except that of the president, more critical to America’s national security than secretary of defense. A self-proclaimed culture warrior, who wants to exclude women from combat and purge the generals and admirals who are “involved” in implementing Department of Defense policies on diversity and equity, Pete Hegseth’s nomination is a threat to the nonpolitical traditions of the armed forces.

In his 2024 book, “The War on Warriors,” he railed against equity and inclusion, claiming, “We will not stop until trans-lesbian Black females run everything!”

America’s efforts to deal with its diversity go back to its very founding. Look at our national motto stamped on every coin: E pluribus unum – “out of many, one.” Finding strength in our diversity is who we are as a country. It is a false choice to juxtapose a strong armed forces against one that reflects the richness of American society. The idea that women who meet the physical conditioning standards of the military services should be excluded from combat roles is also an insult to the American public.

Hegseth lacks the higher level of management experience needed to run an organization with a budget of over $800 billion, more than 1.3 million active duty service members and over 750,000 civilian members. Leading a platoon is not adequate management and strategic experience to lead the Department of Defense. Indeed, no other secretary of defense nominee in modern times has been so unqualified.

Just as troubling, Hegseth shows no signs of having the character required to give the president sound advice if he thinks the president is about to make a mistake. It is not a little disturbing to think that may actually be the reason Trump nominated him.

Throughout our history a premium has been placed on a nonpolitical military; it is not just a quaint tradition. In order to keep the military apolitical, the Founding Fathers chose to have the military take an oath to the Constitution, not to their commander-in-chief. If the senior ranks were to be politicized, American democracy would be in peril. The president does not need Hegseth in order to set up a board or commission to weed out the “unacceptable” admirals and generals, but a rejection of Hegseth’s nomination by the Senate would send a clear signal of opposition to going down this path.

At a crucial time when ties are growing between Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, our country needs a secretary of defense who can advise the president, collaborate with our allies and lead the Department of Defense, not one focused on politicizing the armed forces. If Hegseth is allowed to be secretary of defense, this politicization would diminish the nonpartisan confidence the American public has in the military services, shrink recruitment levels and negatively affect the readiness of the armed forces to defend the security interests of the United States.

The big question is whether the Senate will confirm Hegseth. If not, will they accede to President-elect Trump’s desire to bypass the Senate’s authority to provide its “advice and consent,” the term in the Constitution for confirming presidential appointments? President Trump has consolidated his hold on the Republican Party and is already pushing for recess appointments if his nominations face opposition in the Senate. Senators, like Maine Sen. Susan Collins, have a choice of whether to put country over party. To allow Hegseth to get a recess appointment as acting secretary of defense through 2026 would be an abnegation of the Senate’s constitutional responsibility to give its “advice and consent.”

We have both had senior-level experience at the Department of Defense and the State Department. We served Democratic and Republican administrations with equal devotion to duty. Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense would upend the nonpartisan tradition that has guided the overwhelming majority of our service members and diplomats for generations. His appointment would be threatening to America and make the world a more dangerous place. That kind of damage will not easily be repaired.