“This is ‘protect Pete’ bulls---"

Memo to the military:

Pay attention to this story, because this is how these guys roll. They will throw you under the bus in a heartbeat.

Despite all the faux-Big Dick Energy, Pete Hegseth is a neither a stand-up guy, nor is this a buck-stops-with-me Administration.

If you’re given an illegal order — if you’re told to “Kill them all” — you should probably know that.

Thank you for your service.

Sincerely, A concerned American

Happy Tuesday.

Hegseth Throws Admiral Under the Bus

Pete Hegseth loves the cosplay and the cartoon memes. The responsibility, not so much.

So, the fallout from his order to “Kill Everybody,” continues with this bit of CYA: “Hegseth attempts to distance himself from boat strike fallout” - The Washington Post

Officials in Congress and the Pentagon said Monday they are increasingly concerned that the Trump administration intends to scapegoat the military officer who directed U.S. forces to kill two survivors of a targeted strike on suspected drug smugglers in Latin America, as lawmakers made initial moves to investigate whether the attack constituted a war crime.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, acknowledged Monday that Hegseth had authorized Bradley to conduct the strikes on Sept. 2. Bradley, she added, “worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed.”

Her scripted remarks at a news briefing elicited a furious backlash within the Defense Department, where officials described feeling angry at the uncertainty over whether Hegseth would take responsibility for his alleged role in the operation — or leave the military and civilian staff under him to face the consequences.

“This is ‘protect Pete’ bulls---,” one military official, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations, told The Post.

Leavitt’s statement “left it up to interpretation” who was responsible for the second strike that killed the two survivors, a separate military official said, imploring the White House to provide clarity on the issue.

**

Fox News’ Brit Hume called bullshit on Hegseth’s disingenuous attempt to point the finger at Admiral Bradley, “while pretending to support him.”

But, despite Hegseth’s disingenuous spin, the folks in the Pentagon get it. They know exactly what is going on.

One official said of Leavitt’s statement, “It’s throwing us, the service members, under the bus.”

Another person said some of Hegseth’s top civilian staff appeared deeply alarmed about the revelations and were contemplating whether to leave the administration...

Meanwhile….

"Kelly likens Hegseth to ’12-year-old playing army,’

“This guy is so unqualified for the job. I mean, think about this. He runs around on a stage, talking about lethality and warrior ethos and killing people,” Kelly said. We have the most competent, capable military this planet has ever seen by far. That’s not the message that needs to come from the secretary of defense.” [Senator Mark] Kelly said….

“Instead, he runs around on a stage like he’s a 12-year-old playing army. And it is ridiculous. It is embarrassing, and I can’t imagine what our allies think of looking at that guy in this job, one of the most important jobs in our country,” Kelly said.

Perhaps he was referring to this bit of juvenilia:

To which, the legendary Chef José Andrés responded:

Exit take: This is what you get when you have a war crimes enthusiast like Donald Trump choosing a dipsomaniacal chode like Hegseth to run the military. God help us all.

Nota Bene

The insanity. It burns. Trump Fires Off Over 160 Posts in Late-Night Social Blitz

Among them was a clip of Alex Jones, featuring Bed, Bath and Beyond founder Patrick Byrne, whose video carried the bizarre caption: “Michelle Obama may have used Biden’s autopen in the final days of his disastrous administration to pardon key individuals.” Other posts lauded his vow to nullify all of Biden’s Autopen orders.

He also posted what appeared to be an AI-generated video of Elon Musk discussing Trump’s vow to “immediately” revoke temporary protections for Somali migrants.

Even Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) was branded a “traitor” — again — in one of the few posts that the president authored himself as Trump rounded on the Democrat and his colleagues who featured in the now-infamous “illegal orders” video of encouraging military personnel to disobey him.

Jonathan Lemire: The Bubble-Wrapped President. Trump surrounds himself with those who flatter him in places where he is comfortable (Gift link):

[It] has been many months since Trump hosted a full-on campaign-style rally. He has opted instead to travel abroad, golf at his private clubs, and dine with wealthy friends, business leaders, and major donors. Beyond the rallies, Trump has dramatically scaled back speeches, public events, and domestic travel compared with the first year of his initial term. And that lack of regular voter contact has contributed to a growing fear among Republicans and White House allies: that Trump is too isolated, and has become out of touch with what the public wants from its president.

Today’s Podcast

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Tuesday dogs

Snow boys