He's also shown support for members of the military accused of war crimes and criticized the military's justice system.

Pete Hegseth was barred from protecting President Biden’s inauguration in 2021 after enlisted soldiers complained that Hegseth’s chest tattoo might signify that he was a white supremacist. The D.C. National Guard’s top legal affairs officer at the time tells The Washington Post it was an “overreaction” in the wake of the Jan.

How Hegseth became an "anti-woke" advocate is still coming into view. But it is becoming increasingly clear that he came to a crossroads in January 2021.