Pete Hegseth Blasts Donald Trump's "Absurd and Dangerous" Suggestion for Military to Seize Voting Machines

Former Fox News host and current Fox & Friends co-host Pete Hegseth has strongly condemned former President Donald Trump's recent suggestion that the U.S. military should seize voting machines in order to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Hegseth, a retired Army National Guard officer, called Trump's proposal "absurd and dangerous" in a series of tweets on Wednesday.

He wrote, "The military is not supposed to be involved in domestic politics. It's a fundamental principle of our democracy. Trump's suggestion is a threat to our national security and our way of life." He added, "I urge all Americans to reject Trump's dangerous rhetoric and to defend our democracy." Trump's comments came during an interview with Fox News's Maria Bartiromo on Tuesday. He said, "I think the military should get involved because we have a problem with massive fraud." He added, "I think we should go in and seize the voting machines and we should start over again." Trump's suggestion was met with widespread condemnation from both Democrats and Republicans. The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, said in a statement that the military "will not" seize voting machines. He added, "The integrity of our elections is paramount, and the military will continue to support the American people's right to vote." Trump's comments come as he continues to falsely claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him. He has repeatedly made unsubstantiated allegations of widespread voter fraud, and he has urged his supporters to "stop the steal." Numerous recounts and audits have confirmed that Biden won the election fair and square.