The confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Sec. of Defense is about more than Pete Hegseth

Winning the election might've been the easy part. Now, MAGA must battle its own party.

If you are at all unfamiliar with President-elect Donald Trump’s first term - or at least, its first two years - imagine the Pete Hegseth confirmation battle, but with the “establishment” Republicans feeling much louder, emboldened plentiful and aggressive.

The GOP has come a long ways since then, and Trump will enter 2025 with the benefit of having Mike Johnson as speaker instead of Paul Ryan, and somewhat of an ally in John Thune as Senate majority leader.

Hegseth’s battle to become secretary of defense was initially about simply reforming the military; but as the effort has continued, it’s become a microcosm for something larger.