‘Dangerous, unfit, and compromised’: Trump’s political appointees face backlash from veterans online

VoteVets, a nonprofit that elevates the voices of veterans, slams Donald Trump’s cabinet picks, warning they are “dangerous, unfit, and compromised.”

Considering that several of these positions, such as Secretary of Defense, Director of National Intelligence, and Director of FBI, are tied to the nation’s security and defense, few would understand who can complete these tasks better than the men and women who have served and fought to protect America themselves. If even non-veterans can spot the red flags with nominees like Kash Patel, Robert Kennedy, Tulsi Gabbard, and Pete Hegseth, it’s no surprise some veterans have spotted them, too. Several nominees, like Kennedy and Patel, are guided by conspiracy theories rather than facts. Meanwhile, Gabbard has been accused of being a “Russian asset,” and Hegseth is a serial cheater and alleged rapist who has no management experience aside from a nonprofit he drove to bankruptcy.

The defense and veteran world, including veteran Paul Rieckhoff, has already been pointing out the red flags with Trump’s cabinet picks. Rieckhoff declared Hegseth, the “least qualified nominee for SecDef in American history.” He shared text messages he received from veterans and defense leaders across the country about Hegseth’s nomination. Their reactions were mainly along the lines of, “What the actual f**k??” Now, veterans are speaking out again.

Veterans slam Donald Trump’s cabinet picks

VoteVets took to X to condemn Trump’s cabinet picks, including Kennedy, Patel, Gabbard, and Hegseth. The organization declared these picks were “some of the most dangerous, unfit, and compromised individuals” it had “ever seen.” It stated plainly, “None of these people should be serving in positions of public trust and massive importance.”

Other veterans have also spoken out. Tammy Duckworth, a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, called Hegseth a “dangerous” pick and warned, “Troops, our military families, and our national security will pay the price.” She is the first female double amputee from the Iraq War, yet brave female combat veterans like her have been torn down by misogynist Hegseth, who wants to kick women out of combat zones. Veteran Rep. Pat Ryan also slammed Hegseth’s nomination, calling him “unfit” and “unqualified, ” especially warning America about his lack of integrity. Although he didn’t mention Hegseth by name, current Secretary of Defense and veteran Lloyd Austin gave a fiery speech condemning efforts to turn women away from the military.

It’s hard to imagine how veterans are feeling right now. Many of them have sacrificed so much to serve their country, only to watch their future President put the MAGA agenda over the safety of the military and the nation. It’s quite clear that the main thing motivating Trump is whether his cabinet picks are staunch loyalists to him. He’s not thinking about qualifications or who has the country’s best interest in mind — he’s simply looking for the people who will agree to do what he says without question. However, America needs to listen to its veterans and defense leaders on this issue. These people know much more about the safety and security of the nation than the MAGA followers who are simply desperate to have Trumpers and alleged sexual abusers filling up Trump’s cabinet.