Trump cabinet pick Pete Hegseth outlined "civil war" with "leftist opponents" in 2020 book

Washington DC - A book written by Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth has been receiving scrutiny as President-elect Donald Trump seeks to add him to his cabinet.

A book written in 2020 by Pete Hegseth is getting new attention as President-elect Donald Trump seeks to add him to his presidential cabinet.
A book written in 2020 by Pete Hegseth is getting new attention as President-elect Donald Trump seeks to add him to his presidential cabinet.  © Chip Somodevilla / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Per The Guardian, Hegseth's 2020 book American Crusade serves as a call to arms for conservatives to "mock, humiliate, intimidate, and crush our leftist opponents," and he "lays out the strategy we must employ in order to defeat America's internal enemies."

At one point in the book, Hegseth argues that if Democrats were to win a presidential election, there would be a "national divorce" in which "The military and police... will be forced to make a choice" and "Yes, there will be some form of civil war."

In another, he writes, "The hour is late for America. Beyond political success, her fate relies on exorcising the leftist specter dominating education, religion, and culture – a 360-degree holy war for the righteous cause of human freedom."

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Hegseth has been facing heavy scrutiny after Trump nominated him to be Secretary of Defense. Attention has been drawn to Hegseth's apparent White Nationalist rhetoric and beliefs, as well as sexual assault allegations against him.

Most of Trump's cabinet nominations have faced criticism, as many of them have legal issues or similar allegations levied against them.

Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, whom Trump nominated for attorney general, dropped out of the running on Thursday as concern over his alleged involvement in sex trafficking and reported sex with a minor became a "distraction."

Cover photo: Chip Somodevilla / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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