US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unusual appearance at a political rally in Kentucky this week. He endorsed Republican candidate Ed Gallrein and criticized incumbent Representative Thomas Massie.
“Hegseth said: ‘Too often, Thomas Massie has acted like his job is to stand apart from the movement that President Trump leads instead of strengthening it.'”
It’s rare for defence secretaries to attend political events, especially during wartime. Hegseth has challenged norms since taking office by leading Christian prayer services at the Pentagon and comparing news reporters to enemies of Jesus.
Hegseth addressed “all the lawyers” listening, stating he was attending the event in a personal capacity — an important distinction given legal restrictions on federal employees’ political activities.
The Pentagon said Hegseth was not violating the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from using their official capacity to affect elections. No taxpayer dollars were used for his visit, and it has been thoroughly vetted by lawyers.
At the event, Hegseth condemned Massie as an obstructionist, saying Gallrein would support Trump’s agenda. Massie speculated that Trump is “desperate” to get rid of him, following a retribution campaign against Republicans who have crossed him.