Hegseth said US military should refuse 'unlawful' Trump orders in unearthed 2016 interview

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's 2016 Comments on Refusing Illegal Orders Come Back to Haunt Him Amid Controversy Over Venezuela and Colombia Strikes.

In a video recently unearthed by CNN, Fox News contributor and now Pentagon official Pete Hegseth expressed strong support for US military personnel refusing "unlawful" orders from their commanders, including those issued by a potential president. The comment was made in March 2016, when Donald Trump was still a Republican presidential candidate.

Hegseth's stance on the matter seems to be at odds with his current position as Defense Secretary, where he has defended the administration's recent strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, which have claimed the lives of over 80 people. Critics label these attacks as extrajudicial killings, claiming that even if true, drug-smuggling is not subject to execution without trial.

Hegseth repeated his views on refusing illegal orders during a Fox Business appearance later that month. He stated, "You're not just gonna follow that order if it's unlawful." This echoed comments he made in an interview with the Megyn Kelly show after a debate between Trump and his opponents, where Trump vowed to revive banned forms of torture.

In contrast, Hegseth now defends President Trump's ability to take military action as he sees fit. He dismissed concerns about the strikes violating international law, saying, "President Trump can and will take decisive military action as he sees fit to defend our nation's interests."

The Pentagon has been embroiled in a controversy over another strike on an alleged drug boat that killed two survivors of a previous strike. Critics have described these attacks as illegal and extrajudicial killings, while Hegseth has called Democrats who express similar concerns "despicable" and reckless.

Critics have also pointed to the fact that Hegseth's 2016 comments on refusing illegal orders were made during a time when he was not yet in his current position. His recent defense of President Trump's actions raises questions about whether he will uphold his own stated principles or prioritize party loyalty.

I don't get why Pete Hegseth is so quiet about the strikes in Venezuela and Colombia . Like, if you're gonna say that US military personnel shouldn't follow orders they think are unlawful, it's kinda weird that he's defending Trump's actions now when they might be similar... He also said some harsh stuff about Democrats who question these strikes, which is not cool . I get that Hegseth wants to support his party, but can't he just stick to what he believes in? At least make an effort to justify the strikes without trashing people who disagree with you

Wow! Pete Hegseth is totally conflicted right now, you feel? 2016 comments vs now as Defense Secretary... he's all about defending those strikes in the Caribbean but back then said US troops shouldn't follow orders if they're unlawful. That's some interesting contrast .

I don't know, man ... I thought Pete Hegseth's stance on refusing illegal orders back in 2016 was solid , but now he's all about defending President Trump's military actions and it just seems so... flexible . Like, what changed? Did he just wake up one day and realize that being a Pentagon official means you gotta do whatever the prez says no matter how questionable?

And I get where critics are coming from about those strikes in Venezuela and Colombia, but at the same time... like, who gets to decide what's "unlawful" and what's not? Is it just me or is this all just a big gray area waiting for someone to pick up on it?

I'm kinda torn about this whole thing. Part of me wants to call Hegseth out for being inconsistent, but another part of me thinks maybe we're overthinking the whole thing and he's just trying to do what he thinks is right, even if it doesn't align with his old views .

omg i'm literally livin my worst nightmare rn... like what is going on with this dude Pete Hegseth?! back in 2016 he's all like "yooo refuse unlawful orders, even from the prez" and now he's like "nah I'll just follow whatever trump says no matter how crazy it is"? i mean come on Pete, are you for real? or did you just get caught up in the partywagon and forget about your own morals? i don't know man, this whole thing just feels so... sus. like what's gonna happen to those 80+ people who got killed in them strikes? is it all just a big game of "follow orders" or do you guys actually care about human life?

this guy hedges his bets like crazy what did he think back then if anything? hes now saying "party loyalty" is more important than standing up for whats right i dont get why he cant just stick to what he said in 2016...or maybe hes just trying to keep a lid on the whole thing lol

OMG, this is soooo fishy ! I mean, think about it... Hegseth was all for refusing unlawful orders back in 2016, but now he's like "just follow orders" when Trump is at the helm? That's some major flip-flopping right there! And what really gets me is that he's trying to spin it as party loyalty. Like, come on Pete... can't you just be true to yourself? I don't buy it. This whole thing reeks of some kinda cover-up or something...

I don't get why Pete Hegseth is being all defensive about this. Like, back in 2016, he said that if a commander gives an order that's against the law, you shouldn't follow it . But now that he's Defense Secretary, he's basically saying that President Trump can do whatever he wants and it's all good . It seems like his opinion changed, but he's not owning up to it. I don't think it's right for him to say one thing and then change his mind .

And what's with the strikes in Venezuela and Colombia? Like, we're talking about people who might be involved in drug smuggling, so some of them could get hurt . But is that really enough reason to kill them without a trial? I'm not sure . Maybe Hegseth should explain why he thinks this is okay and what changed his mind .

It's like, Pete should be more honest about where he stands on these issues . His party loyalty shouldn't come before doing what's right .

This is getting out of hand...

I don't think Pete Hegseth's stance on refusing unlawful orders should be so fluid, especially considering the lives lost in these strikes. It seems like some people can just change their minds when it suits them. What if this is a matter of consistency and integrity? Shouldn't we expect our leaders to stand by what they believe in, even if it's not convenient for everyone else?

It's also puzzling that Hegseth would call those who raise concerns about these strikes "despicable" and "reckless". Where's the accountability here?

I just saw this video of Pete Hegseth from 2016 and I'm shocked. He was saying that he wouldn't follow orders if they were "unlawful" ?? Like what kind of orders would be unlawful? And now as Defense Secretary, he's defending strikes that have killed over 80 people without even trial . It just doesn't add up to me. I get why some people might think it's okay to take a stand if they believe the order is wrong, but this guy was in a position of power back then and now he's not speaking out? That's just weird to me . And what really gets my goat is that he's basically saying that party loyalty trumps integrity... which isn't right .

It's wild how people can change so much over time, you know? Like, Hegseth's stance on refusing unlawful orders back in 2016 was all about standing up for what's right, even if it means going against the establishment... and now he's basically singing a different tune as Defense Secretary . It makes me wonder, is it ever too late to question our own values and principles? Can we really change who we are just because of our circumstances or positions of power? And what does that say about our society when someone in such an important role can flip their stance like that without any significant consequences?

This whole thing is pretty messed up... I mean, Pete Hegseth is essentially saying that as long as the order comes from a president he likes, he'll follow it no matter what. It's like, isn't that just more of the same old thing we've always seen in this country? All these politicians making rules and then just doing whatever they want when it suits them. And now he's trying to spin it as some kind of patriotism thing? Give me a break...

this is so weird i cant believe what pete hegseth is saying now compared to back in 2016. like whats going on with the pentagon rn? theyre just doing whatever trump says and nobody is questioning it?? thats not how things work, right? or is it?

omg is this guy for real?? he goes from saying its okay to disobey orders if they're "unlawful" to now defending the president taking military action w/o worrying about international law... it's like his views on the matter are all over the place and doesnt he think about the ppl affected by these strikes in venezuela & colombia?? 80+ lives lost already and he's justifying more killings as "defending national interests"... doesn't sound very patriotic to me what changed man?!

I'm really disappointed in what I just saw. Pete Hegseth is literally being called out for saying that he'd refuse unlawful orders back in 2016, but now as the Defense Secretary, he's all about defending Trump's actions, even if it means doing questionable things like those strikes in Venezuela and Colombia. It's like his values have changed or something

I don't get how someone who was so vocal about refusing illegal orders can just flip and say that's not a big deal now. Does he think he's above the law? It's not cool, Pete. Not cool at all

I'm kinda worried about Pete Hegseth right now ... I mean, this guy is seriously torn between what he believed back in 2016 and what he's saying now as Defense Secretary . It's like his stance on refusing unlawful orders was one thing, but now that he's in a position of power, he's all about supporting the president's decisions, even if they are questionable . And let's be real, when you're defending strikes that have claimed over 80 lives, it raises some serious red flags ... I don't think it's too much to ask for someone in his position to uphold their own values and principles, especially when it comes to things like due process and international law . It's not like he can just conveniently forget what he said 9 years ago . Now, I'm not saying Hegseth is a bad person or anything, but this whole situation is kinda shady ... Anyway, I hope someone keeps an eye on him and makes sure he's not compromising his values for the sake of party loyalty

this is so messed up... like Pete Hegseth used to say that he wont follow orders if they're illegal but now he's all for following whatever trump tells him to do especially when it comes to killing people without trial, that's just not right . and the fact that he called those who disagree with him "despicable" is super unprofessional . i mean what changed from 2016 to now? did he just get a new contract or something? and btw if he really believed in refusing illegal orders back then, why isn't he doing that now?

I'm really surprised Pete Hegseth is still spouting this old rhetoric now that he's Defense Secretary . It seems like a huge double standard to me. He's all for refusing orders that go against the law, but only when it doesn't align with his own party's agenda . When it comes to defending President Trump's actions, suddenly those same principles don't apply . I'm not sure what's more concerning - the fact that he's being inconsistent or that he's willing to call out critics as "despicable" for speaking truth to power . The Pentagon's track record on these strikes doesn't exactly fill me with confidence either . It's time someone held Hegseth accountable for his words and actions

omg u guys, this is wild! i mean, pete hegseth, the dude is literally saying one thing and doing another like whoa? in 2016, he was all about refusing "unlawful" orders from commanders, but now he's basically defending trump's actions as president. it's like, where did his morals go?! and what's up with him calling out democrats for being "despicable" and "reckless"? that sounds super hypocritical to me! and can we talk about the fact that he's now a pentagon official? doesn't that create some serious conflict of interest?

omg, i remember when this dude said that he'd refuse to follow unlawful orders back in 2016 and now he's basically saying the opposite as Defense Secretary it's like, Pete, are you trying to flip-flop on your own values or what?!

i mean, sure, we get it, Trump wants to take a tough stance on Venezuela and Colombia but come on, extrajudicial killings aren't exactly a good look for the US and Hegseth's whole "despicable" thing towards Dem critics just makes me LOL

anyway, i was thinking, if he's gonna defend Trump's actions as Defense Secretary, shouldn't he at least acknowledge that maybe his views back in 2016 were...different ? seems like he's trying to own both sides of the aisle now and it's kinda weird to watch