Do As I Say, Not As I Do!
Sec. Hegseth may be able to convince his most ardent fans from his days at Fox News that what he and others discussed on Signal is acceptable—that there’s no need for concern. But those who served, especially in a GWOT military, know better.
What he’s pushing is complete and utter horse manure.
Hegseth, Waltz, Gabbard, and Vance know how little bits of data, gathered from multiple sources, allow adversaries to build a picture of current and future operations. This isn’t theoretical—it’s how targeting works.
As an SF Colonel, Waltz certainly knows this. Now is the time for them to show integrity and courage by admitting their mistake. Continuing to stonewall only erodes the confidence that Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Guardians have in the leadership at the top. Worse, it weakens our allies’ trust in U.S. leadership.
Leaders who cut corners on the small things will also cut corners on the big ones. They ignore verbal guidance, orders, and regulations. Their arrogance convinces them that the rules don’t apply to them. That they know better than everyone else.
It’s the kind of leadership summed up best by the phrase:
“Do as I say, not as I do.”
And eventually, that always catches up with them.
It’s already caught up with Colonel Waltz—who, sadly, has failed upward and now stands nominated to become the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
Any military member found sharing sensitive or mission-critical information via an unauthorized platform while in uniform would have had their security clearance suspended immediately. They’d have lost it permanently if found negligent and faced possible criminal prosecution.
Colonel Waltz. Lieutenant Colonel Gabbard. Major Hegseth.
They all should have known better.
Marine Corporal Vance, a military journalist, should also be aware of the consequences of mishandling sensitive information.
There’s a lesson to be learned here, buried in the failure of the Houthi PC Small Group chat chain. A lesson that matters more now than ever: Leaders are always being watched.
And they must maintain the highest standards—even when doing so is inconvenient.
As veterans, we swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. That oath doesn’t expire.
Remaining silent while our leaders dismiss rules and fail to uphold their oath of office?
That’s not patriotism—it’s complicity.