Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel raised alarming concerns with President-elect Trump’s choice to appoint Pete Hegseth to the highly regarded post in a New York Times op-ed published on Friday.

“Political independence and ethics are the bedrock of our military. Today, I am concerned that both are in danger. If we begin to compromise those standards by politicizing the Department of Defense, the character of the military could change inexorably, putting its very effectiveness at risk,” Hagel wrote.

He disapproved of Trump’s “recess appointments” that would allow nominees to bypass public hearings........

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