The 2026 GOP bloodbath was a defeat of monumental proportions that will take at least a decade to reverse if such a feat is possible (Deo Volente). The old adage, “It’s the economy, stupid” reigns supreme in American politics. The price of gas correlated with Trump’s approval rating and voters blamed the Iran War for the floundering economy. While the economic picture would have been a mixed bag regardless of the war, perception is reality. The price of fuel drives up the costs of other goods. Housing remains unaffordable and interests rates are higher—neither of which caused by Iran, but the perception is that the higher costs incurred by the war are an added barrier. The GOP squandered the 2024 mandate focusing on Iran rather than affordability, jobs, and deportations. Though many good things have happened, the voters did not perceive that on November 3rd.
The results speak for themselves. The GOP lost seats in deep red states and Texas turned blue. This was a holocaust and someone must suffer Nuremberg. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is the deserved scapegoat.
Hegseth was highly championed for being a combat veteran charged with leading America’s war machine. He works out with the guys and has cleaned up much of the DEI in the military while purging the military command. On a religious front, he is a CREC which connects him with Doug Wilson and Christian Nationalism. He even has religious tattoos. He has overcome various personal struggles, particularly pertaining to marriage, and is an upstanding guy and is popular with veterans.
However, this is politics. The administration requires a fall-guy to signal to the American people that the Administration is making changes in response to the midterm results. Unfortunately, Pete Hegseth’s record on Iran condemns him.
Back in March, President Trump told reporters that Hegseth was “the first one to speak up” about pushing for war with Iran. His record as an Iran-Hawk goes back years. In 2017, he starred in a PragerU video defending the Iraq War under President Bush, using the military success of the Iraq Surge to blame Obama’s withdrawal for Iraq’s post-war failures. Hegseth said, “when America commits to military victory, as it did during the surge, it can defeat its enemies, but when America retreats for political reasons, it loses.” He calls Iran America’s “mortal enemy” in the video, citing the botched withdrawal as empowering Iran.
Fundamentally, Hegseth does not understand the intersection of politics and war. Military success can be costly. Winning a war can be detrimental. The term Pyrrhic Victory denotes such a victory that ultimately a defeat. Military operations against Iran have been successful under Hegseth’s command, but what does victory in the Strait of Hormuz matter if the House and Senate are squandered? What victory is it for America to avoid a nuclear Iran but suffer a third world invasion because the Democrats returned to power—a fate worse than Hiroshima on a society?
Hegseth’s record continues. In his 2020 book American Crusade, Hegseth refers to Iran as an existential threat to the US and its allies. This book also articulates a Zionist interpretation of Genesis 12:1-3, writing, “God also stands with the people of Israel against their enemies and blesses those who bless Israel.” Hegseth’s history with Zionism was doubtless an influence on his lobbying for this war. Despite being CREC, he was fundamentally no different than John Hagee in practice. While Doug Wilson’s sold out on his theology to the detriment of his brand, Hegseth got Americans killed and who knows how many will die at the hands of the Democrat policies to come.
Pete Hegseth needs to go. While he might be relatable to the soldiers, his lack of political instincts was costly for America. Give him his parachute (because that’s politics). He lobbied the hardest for a Pyrrhic war. He must suffer the consequences. And he is not the only one.
