For years, conservatives have had to deal with a Republican Party that was too weak to stand up to the radical left. But that changed when Donald Trump became president. While much of the Republican establishment still tiptoes around left-wing talking points, terrified of the media mob, Trump stands tall and unapologetic, once again showing a backbone that many on the Right sorely lack. Forget the McConnells and Romneys of the world, who seem all too eager to bend over backward for a shred of liberal approval. Trump isn’t afraid to stick to his guns.
Case in point: Trump’s rock-solid support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The media onslaught against Hegseth has been relentless from the moment Hegseth was nominated and is now heating up again. They’ve hurled every accusation under the sun at him, from screaming about impropriety and alcoholism to the nearly forgotten “Signalgate” kerfuffle, which they’re trying to revive.
In the past, a Republican leader might have buckled under the pressure, tossed Hegseth aside, and apologized profusely to the liberal elite. But Trump? Not a chance. The message from him and his administration was simple: we back our people.
“The President stands strongly behind Secretary Hegseth, who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox & Friends on Monday. “This is what happens when the entire Pentagon is working against you and working against the monumental change you are trying to implement. Secretary Hegseth was nominated for this position because he is standing up for the war fighters, the men and women in uniform who are putting their lives on the line to protect our country and our homeland. Unfortunately, there have been people in that building who don’t like the change the secretary is trying to bring, so they are leaking and lying to the mainstream media. We’ve seen this game played before; the secretary is doing a tremendous job, and the President stands strongly behind him.”
Karoline Leavitt FORCEFULLY affirms President Trump's support for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 21, 2025
"This is what happens when the entire Pentagon is working against you, and working against the monumental change you are trying to implement."
🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/o7j2tYmMtu
This is something new. For decades, Republican leaders were masters of surrendering at the faintest whiff of controversy. The legacy media would kick up a storm, and without fail, spineless GOP figures would walk right into the trap, disavowing colleagues or walking back statements, naively thinking it would earn them goodwill from the Left. It never does.
Trump saw through this scam from day one. He’s not here to capitulate; he’s here to fight. And that’s exactly what he did when he backed Hegseth and refused to pander to the predictable outrage machine.
Related: Is a Coup Against Pete Hegseth Brewing at the Pentagon?
Pete Hegseth isn’t perfect. No one is. And if he’s not up to the job, Trump has no problem firing him and moving on. But unlike so many other Republican leaders, Trump doesn’t flinch or abandon his allies just because the press is trying to force him out. That’s called leadership — something the GOP could use a whole lot more of.
The reality is, conservatives need bold leaders like Trump who won’t waver under pressure. As much as the media wants to paint him as reckless or divisive, the truth is, his approach works, and it’s exactly what the party needs to survive. If the GOP continues to churn out spineless, prevaricating politicians, the movement will sputter and stall. The Left doesn’t apologize for its agenda, and neither should we.
