On May 18, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth campaigned with Ed Gallrein in a political rally, a Republican backed by Trump to oust Representative Thomas Massie, another Republican that has become an enemy of Trump due to his insistence on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Hegseth’s overt preference and support for one candidate over another violates longstanding Defense Department rules and norms regarding political neutrality. If Hegseth utilized taxpayer money to attend the rally, he violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal officials from using Treasury resources for political ends.
While Hegseth stated that he appeared in a personal capacity, this claim is questionable. He admitted that he attended the rally after awarding Purple Hearts.
At the very least, this episode amounts to negligence of his duties. Hegseth violated precedent regarding political neutrality to campaign for a candidate during a war that requires his urgent attention.
