1. United States
2. Letter

You have appointed a man—Pete Hegseth—to lead the Department of Defense who, when asked by Congress if he had ever ordered the military to fire on unarmed civilians, laughed. He didn’t deny it. He didn’t express moral outrage at the very question. He laughed—and then dismissed the concern with, “Be careful what you read in books—unless it’s the Bible.” Let’s be clear: This was not a joke. This was a horrifying moment. His response, and your silence, suggest a dangerous comfort with the idea of unleashing U.S. military force on American citizens. This isn’t strength—it’s authoritarianism. This is the language of despots, not democratically elected leaders. And we haven’t forgotten what former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper wrote—that you suggested shooting protesters in the legs during the 2020 George Floyd demonstrations. That wasn’t a rumor. That was an account from your own cabinet. And now you’ve surrounded yourself with men who won’t say “no” to that idea. Some of them seem ready to carry it out. Mr. President, we see what you’re doing. And we are not afraid to call it what it is: A direct assault on the Constitution. A threat to civilian safety. A betrayal of everything America is supposed to stand for. If you have any respect left for the people of this country—or for the uniformed service members you claim to honor—you must immediately remove Pete Hegseth from office and publicly reject the use of military force against unarmed civilians. This is not leadership. This is tyranny in motion. You are not above the Constitution. And the American people are watching.