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Red Pete

A no-holds-barred conversation with Paul Rieckhoff, a fellow Iraq War vet turned activist, about the political atom bomb effect of placing Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon.

Paul Rieckhoff
Hegseth’s appeal for Republicans isn’t his management experience—which is minimal—but rather his right-wing ideology, formidable communication skills, and talent for generating media soundbites, Paul Rieckhoff told Tara. Photo: Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Tara Palmeri
December 13, 2024

Paul Rieckhoff, the former Army lieutenant turned veterans advocate, knows Pete Hegseth personally. Both men served in Iraq, and both have led veterans groups. From there, of course, the differences are manifold. Rieckhoff founded a nonpartisan group called Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and is a frequent contributor on MSNBC and CNN; Hegseth, the longtime Fox News host whom Donald Trump has nominated for secretary of defense, ran two veterans groups that were overtly conservative.