News/Commentary

Rep. Mike Rogers reportedly among names being considered for Defense Secretary: ‘He’s a swamp rat’

November 9, 2024 | | Print Article

House Armed Services Committee chair Mike Rogers is one of at least four Republicans being considered to serve as Defense Secretary.

The other three are Rep. Mike Waltz, Sen. Tom Cotton, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Rogers is a war hawk who’s “pushed for significant increases in defense spending to take on China and Russia, ramp up defense production and modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal” ever since becoming chair of the House Armed Services Committee, according to Politico.

Like Pompeo, he’s also been a major advocate of funneling oodles of taxpayer money to Ukraine.

“As Armed Services chair, Rogers held oversight hearings on Ukraine aid to bolster support and demonstrate that U.S. assistance is being properly employed,” Politico notes. “Just days before the election, Rogers led a bipartisan congressional delegation to Kyiv.”

Because of his war hawkishness and pro-Ukraine war stance, many conservatives are now arguing that he wouldn’t be the right choice for Defense Secretary in a second, peace-focused Trump administration.

“Absolutely not,” The Federalist co-founder Sean Davis tweeted. “Mike Rogers is a CIA-owned, Deep State clown who could not care less about putting America First. He will stab Trump and all of his supporters in the back at the very first opportunity in order to push America Last neocon foreign policy.”

See more responses below:

ADVERTISEMENT

However, one Republican social media user defended the idea of Rogers as Defense Secretary.

“I trust Trump on foreign policy tbh,” they tweeted. “If he wants warmongers, it’ll be to his advantage to advocate for peace. He’s talked about this before. The peace thru strength dogma is a literal thing to him. Doesn’t think you get very far by talking like a pacifist.”

ADVERTISEMENT

True!

Rogers has also faced criticism for other things. Last year, for example, Sen. Mike Lee slammed him after he said he’d rather work with the Democrats on picking a House speaker than simply elect Rep. Jim Jordan to the post.

“It’s outrageous that Jim Jordan has been nominated by the party, has the support of [ousted Speaker Kevin] McCarthy and [speaker pro tempore Patrick] McHenry, and yet Mike Rogers and a few House Republicans would rather work with Democrats,” Lee tweeted at the time.

“If you’re a House Republican,” he urged the lawmakers, “please vote for Jim Jordan—not [Democratic Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries,” he added.

Lee’s tweet referenced a stunning Forbes report about how Rogers had “told reporters … after a closed-door House GOP meeting that he wants Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to tell Republicans what concessions they’ll have to make for Democrats to help them elect a speaker.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Earlier in the year, he nearly got into a fight with fellow Rep. Matt Gaetz after Gaetz refused to vote for then-Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker.

Watch:

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

$10
$15
$25
$50
Other
$
Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Vivek Saxena
Latest posts by Vivek Saxena (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles