Newsmax host Greg Kelly blasted War Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying, “He doesn’t belong in the job.”
Kelly spoke with Dan Abrams on Tuesday’s episode of his SiriusXM radio show, per Mediaite.
Abrams noted Kelly’s military service.
“In his past life, he flew Harrier attack jets as a U.S. Marine Corps officer, nine years on active duty, another dozen in the reserves, eventually achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel,” Abrams said. He then asked Kelly about his criticism of Hegseth.
Kelly has repeatedly called Hegseth everything from “Despicable” to “Fake.”
“Wow, Greg Kelly is going after Hegseth again and again and again,” Abrams said.
Kelly said he has been concerned about Hegseth since he was first named to the position.
“I’m doing it from a place of principle, and I’m doing it in a way—Twitter, you know, that’s how we speak on Twitter—and I am proud of it. I don’t take anything back,” Kelly said.
“There’s always truth in my tweets, and that’s what makes them, I think, powerful, and they land. So look, Hegseth is immature. He doesn’t belong in the job!” Kelly continued.
“Now, I will say this, and I have been watching closely. There is something to be said for a Hegseth-like person in that job,” Kelly added. “I mean, right, somebody who’s never worked in the swamp, somebody who has never worked for the deep state, and I do believe that those things exist and they’re negative.”
Abrams asked Kelly if Trump should fire Hegseth.
“Now, it is not my position to fire him or keep him in office. You know what I mean? And I would imagine—” Kelly said.
“But you think he’s unqualified,” Abrams asked.
“Well, certainly. However, Dan, we’re in the middle of a war, right? We are also in the middle of a very competitive election season. President Trump has concerns beyond that, and I think he has to factor everything in. He knows how I feel. And if he can, if there is some merit in having Pete stay, and there very well might be, there very well might be. I don’t see it. I’m not privy to it,” Kelly replied.
“I do appreciate that Pete has a certain flexibility independent of the swamp that Esper, Panetta, Mattis, and all the other typical secretaries do not have. He is not so burdened, and there are things to be appreciated there. But ultimately, it’s not my call. Yes, we all have the right to sound off, but it’s President Trump’s decision. And he has to make a decision based on more than just what Greg Kelly says. Fair enough?” he added.
