【Wen/Observer Net, Yuan Jiaqi】
The controversy over the U.S. military action against Iran continues to escalate, and is Hegseth now playing the "sacrificial" script?
Britain's The Telegraph reported on the 13th that this defense secretary, already embroiled in controversy, has become the most controversial war spokesperson for the Trump administration on Iran. He frequently makes radical, performative remarks in public, a high-profile image that aligns with the White House's hardline stance but also makes him an easy political scapegoat when public opinion turns against the administration.
The article suggests that under the backdrop of the war against Iran, Hegseth's political position is extremely precarious, and he may become the first political sacrifice in this war. He not only faces severe criticism from within about his lack of professional competence, but also risks being sacrificed by Trump at any moment due to the latter's capricious war narrative.
The British media analyzed that if Trump can conclude the mission in a dignified manner without suffering a major loss of face or falling into a "perpetual war," the defense secretary might still gain some glory. However, if the situation gets out of control, he could be the first to become the target of public outrage, following in the footsteps of the recently dismissed Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen.
"Hegseth's political fate now completely depends on this war and Trump, and he has no control over either."
On March 13, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks at a press briefing at the Pentagon. U.S. media video screenshot
"Trump may use Hegseth as a human shield"
The Telegraph wrote that when Trump decided to go to war with Iran, he mainly communicated with journalists through private phone calls. This loose and casual way of communication left a lot of information gaps, which Hegseth filled, becoming the unofficial chief spokesperson for the war.
In recent days, at briefings, Hegseth has consistently shown an extremely strong and belligerent attitude, openly declaring that "death and destruction" will "uninterrupted around the clock" fall upon Iran, and claiming that the U.S. is "crushing the enemy."
Last year, under Hegseth's push, the U.S. Department of Defense was renamed the "Department of War." Now that the U.S. is really involved in a war, his performance seems to be enjoying it.
This style has already caused strong dissatisfaction within the Pentagon. The report said that Hegseth's aggressive speeches in the briefing room and his frequent scolding of journalists contrast sharply with the calm and pragmatic approach of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, leading insiders to say that this contrast is "embarrassing."
John Yulio, a retired Marine Corps veteran and former press secretary of Hegseth, publicly criticized his former boss for being fond of "showy performances" and "self-promotion." He pointed out that such a style might help someone become famous in a news anchor position, but it is "extremely inappropriate" for a defense secretary to display such behavior during major military operation briefings.
However, the British media said that according to some sources, the White House seems to have deliberately pushed Hegseth to the front of the camera, making him the representative of this costly and widely unpopular conflict to absorb public backlash for Trump.
On March 4, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine hold a press conference. Video screenshot
For example, arranging Hegseth to be interviewed on programs like CBS's "60 Minutes."
"He really hates these shows," a source revealed, "unless Trump personally orders 'Hey, can you appear on '60 Minutes'?' he would not show up."
The report also said that some people even believe that Trump is using Hegseth as a political "insurance," seeing him as a "human shield" — keeping a relatively moderate public stance on the war himself, while encouraging Hegseth to continuously take a hard line.
During the same "60 Minutes" interview, Hegseth had just declared that the war "has just begun"; only a few hours later, Trump publicly announced that the war objectives "have basically been completed," that the Iranian army has been substantially destroyed, and that the conflict may "end soon."
"Trump is likely setting up a trap for him to take the blame," said a former White House official under Trump, "Hegseth was arranged to give interviews, and if they wanted to release a signal of easing tensions, (Trump) would have instructed him to make statements beforehand."
Hegseth is already "on red alert"
The Telegraph pointed out that Hegseth's fierce words on the podium are a true reflection of the Trump administration's一贯 reckless and unrepentant attitude towards this war.
According to sources, once public resentment toward the war intensifies, Hegseth, the "outstanding bird," will become a target of all criticism because of his "extreme performance" and being out of step with the president's real intentions.
He may even repeat the outcome of Rumsfeld in 2006: In the aftermath of a major defeat in the midterm elections, then-Defense Secretary Rumsfeld was quickly replaced by Bush to quell public anger over the Iraq War.
Throughout his second term, Trump has tried to avoid firing cabinet members. But last week, he finally "broke the rule," dismissing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen. She became the first cabinet member to be fired since the start of Trump's second term.
In January, two U.S. citizens were shot by immigration officers in Minneapolis. Nielsen claimed that the two were "domestic terrorists" attempting to attack federal officials. After the incident sparked nationwide protests, Trump eventually took a more low-key stance and sent border affairs commissioner Tom Homan to take over the situation.
The final trigger was a heated Senate hearing last week: Nielsen insisted that Trump had approved a $220 million advertisement highlighting her riding a horse. According to reports, Trump was extremely angry about this self-promotion and was furious that she lied about his approval of the ad.
Nielsen
"This defense secretary has already lit the danger signal," the British media commented. Like Nielsen, Hegseth's position makes him vulnerable to being stabbed in the back by the president. Now, his political survival entirely depends on this war, which he cannot control, and the president's unpredictable mood.
Hegseth deserves the public criticism
Certainly, Hegseth is far from an innocent "white flower" figure in American politics. From a Fox News host to being promoted as defense secretary by Trump, his capabilities have always been questioned. Rather than being a competent military leader, he was destined to be a "sacrificial" pawn from the beginning.
Over the past two weeks, at briefings related to the military operations in Iran, his statements have repeatedly oscillated between praising the military's achievements, vowing to eliminate the enemy, and criticizing the media. In the Saturday Night Live show, comedian Colin Jost even satirized him as a sensitive, aggressive, almost alcohol-controlled character.
Additionally, Hegseth's image management has been controversial. According to reports, he once banned photographers from taking photos of him that were not flattering, and even attempted to set up a $40,000 makeup studio next to the briefing room.
He naturally denies this, but critics generally believe that Hegseth is more of an extremely image-conscious, TV celebrity carefully packaged by his wife (former Fox producer), rather than a competent military commander.
A series of recent events have further fueled doubts about his ability to handle highly sensitive issues.
Last week, he publicly criticized the media for putting the news of U.S. soldiers killed in a Kuwaiti drone strike on the front page, accusing the media of trying to embarrass the president. This approach of treating wartime casualties as a "public relations issue" caused strong discontent.
The Pentagon's social media team also edited real footage of the U.S. strike on Iran with clips from games like Grand Theft Auto (GTA) to create memes for distribution. A Pentagon source said this approach was "disgusting" and completely "stripped away the humanity of the real cost of war."
At some point in the future, he must also deal with the investigation results regarding the attack on a girls' school in southern Iran, which resulted in over 150 deaths, and the preliminary investigation has already determined that the U.S. is responsible for the attack.
The U.S. response to this tragedy has been indifferent and dismissive. According to U.S. media reports, Hegseth's office initially passed media inquiries to the U.S. Central Command, which refused to respond, citing that "the investigation is still ongoing."
Previously, on Sunday, when asked about the school attack in Iran, Hegseth confidently claimed, "I want to emphasize to the world that unlike our opponent Iran, we never target civilians."
By Friday, Hegseth finally admitted at a Pentagon press conference that the U.S. had launched a full investigation into the deadly attack. While he constantly emphasized that "truth is important," he never clearly admitted U.S. responsibility.
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Original: toutiao.com/article/7617072063492276751/
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