Pete Hegseth's U-Turn: From Critic to Defender of Trump's Military Authority

• In 2016, then-Fox News contributor Pete Hegseth warned US service members must refuse unlawful orders, criticizing Trump's proposals on torture.
• Trump's 2016 campaign statements on military orders sparked debate, leading to his clarification that he would obey legal constraints.
• Now as Trump's Secretary of Defense, Hegseth accuses Democratic lawmakers of undermining the chain of command for reminding troops of their duty to reject illegal orders.
• Hegseth ordered a Pentagon investigation into Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain and lawmaker who appeared in a video warning troops about unlawful orders.
• This dramatic reversal highlights a debate on who defines legality in crises and the commander-in-chief's discretion, with Hegseth now policing those who echo his past warnings.

Why It Matters: Pete Hegseth's dramatic reversal on military authority sparks debate over civil-military norms.