With Pete Hegseth announced as Trump’s Secretary of Defense, it’s critical to look at history’s lessons. Truman’s choice, Louis A. Johnson, similarly lacked high-level command experience, and his tenure highlights the risks of appointing a SecDef with limited strategic expertise.
Johnson, a political ally, faced criticism for defense cuts that left the military under-resourced. His inexperience in high-level strategy led to clashes with top brass in the “Revolt of the Admirals,” a rare instance of military leaders openly challenging their civilian head.
The real costs of Johnson’s inexperience showed when North Korea invaded the South, launching the Korean War. His budget cuts left the U.S. underprepared, and we had to make rapid, costly adjustments to support our forces in the conflict, risking lives and U.S. interests.
Today, we face a similarly dangerous global landscape: Russia’s war in Ukraine, escalating tensions as Israel battles Iranian-backed groups, and an increasing threat from Iran, which tried to assassinate Trump. This is a time when military readiness and foresight are critical.
Hegseth’s highest role was as a Major in the MN National Guard, and while he has combat experience, he has never held a command post higher than that. Johnson’s tenure reminds us that a SecDef needs deep strategic experience at the highest levels, not just political loyalty.
With so much volatility, the SecDef needs to grasp the big-picture strategy, understand alliance-building and handle logistical demands of military readiness. History shows without this experience, the U.S. risks costly and dangerous setbacks—lessons we can’t afford to ignore.
I want to see the USA succeed regardless of who is sitting in the Oval Office. But Donald Trump is passing up experienced leadership for political allies, and by doing so, he's setting us up for failure. History is free to learn.
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