An Army veteran’s nonfiction book “The War on Warriors” remains at the top of the NY Times bestseller list

Pete Hegseth’s new book, The War on Warriors, will spend the sixth week in a row on the New York Times bestseller list, Fox News Digital has learned. The week of July 28, 2024, the book – which will be released in early June – will take the third spot on the prestigious book list.

In addition, the book is currently the #1 bestseller on Amazon in the Military Policy category and the #2 bestseller in the Political Commentary and Opinion category.

The successful book by Hegseth, a co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend,” was published by Fox News Books and is subtitled “Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free.”

PETE HEGSETH’S NEW BOOK THE WAR ON WARRIORS UNDERLINES A PATRIOT’S CONCERNS ABOUT A WOKE MILITARY

In a phone interview Friday afternoon, Hegseth told Fox News Digital that while the attention the book is receiving is “humble” to him, it also “doesn’t completely surprise” him, given the widespread concern he’s hearing from the military community – of which he was once a part – about how things have changed in recent years.

“While I was writing the book, I spent a lot of time on the phone talking to people who are currently in prison – they spoke to me confidentially and anonymously. I had dozens and dozens of conversations, phone calls in a row” over many, many weekends, he said.

Pete Hegseth is the author of The War on Warriors, a best-seller since its release in early June. The book continues to attract attention and new readers as it highlights the current problems facing the American military. (Getty Images; Fox News)

“And I talked to privates, corporals, sergeants, lieutenants, captains and colonels from all different branches of the military. Each of them had a unique story. But they all told the same thing,” Hegseth said.

They are not and are not partisans, he said. “They are just normal guys, and they all said that the military has changed today.”

“People said, ‘Thank you for writing down what I experienced.'”

“They told me, ‘I’m walking on eggshells here,’ ‘there is no accountability,’ ‘standards have been lowered,’ ‘I’m worried about political interference.’ One man after another and one woman after another said this.”

Hegseth also noted, “I make a lot of strong arguments in my book. I don’t back down. It’s very direct – and I knew that if I exaggerated anything I said, I would face backlash. The veteran and military community would say, ‘That’s not reality.'”

Nevertheless, the response from this community has been “overwhelming,” he said.

Hegseth told Fox News Digital, “This is probably the first book where someone has written it down. A guy who has been there himself has written it down, understands what people go through in the military, and can help explain it to others.” “The War on Warriors” (Fox News Books) has been a bestseller since its release in early June 2024. (Fox & Friends/Screenshot)

“People have said, ‘Thank you for writing what I experienced, what my son experienced, what my father experienced, what my whole family experienced. Yes, the military is different now.'”

Hegseth said the sad thing is that “we actually have a problem with our military. And this is probably the first book where someone has written it down. Someone who has been there has written it down, understands what people go through in the military and can help explain it.”

“The big difference is not always visible. It is not visible in the classrooms. It is not visible in the tables. But it is visible at the moment.”

Fox News Digital also spoke with Hegseth about what he sees happening in the military under the current administration, as well as his thoughts on some other related issues.

For more lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle

Fox News Digital: Given the events of July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the lack of transparency so far about what went wrong with former President Donald Trump’s security, do you see any similarities between what goes on in today’s military, as you describe it in your book, and today’s Secret Service?

Pete Hegseth: That’s a perfect analogy and it came to mind immediately. It’s not like apples, but it’s pretty darn close.

You have a political director who is not qualified for the position but was chosen because of political privilege. And afterwards everyone asks: “How could this happen?”

Pete Hegseth’s book “The War on Warriors” sheds light on the military’s turn to a left-wing ideology. (Fox & Friends/Screenshot)

And when you start peeling back the onion, you realize, “Oh, they’re doing the DEI stuff. Oh, their goal is to have 30% women in the intelligence community by 2030. Oh, how can a 6’3″ president be assigned a bunch of 5’7″ women?” So what else is at play here?

And what you see – and this has been confirmed – is that the Secret Service has different standards for men and women for the same position. That means you get people who are less physically qualified – and that has nothing to do with putting women down. It’s just a biological reality.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

These organizations have tried to ignore this as if it were unimportant. But anyone who has ever worn a uniform knows there is a big difference – and that big difference is not always visible. It’s not visible in the classrooms. It’s not visible in the spreadsheets. But it is visible right now.

“That means we’re getting fewer physically skilled people…that’s just a biological reality.”

And that’s exactly when your weaknesses become apparent: when you have employees who aren’t adequately trained.

So there’s a comparison here – and the scary thing is that our military hasn’t necessarily experienced that exact moment yet because a lot of things have changed. And we better correct course before that happens.

“The reason we’re seeing this massive drop in recruiting is because traditional military families – those who have been committed to military service for generations – are telling their children, ‘Don’t do it. It’s different.'” (Getty Images/Fox News)

Fox News Digital: In your book you write: “It’s one thing when a company or a university wakes up. When the U.S. military wakes up, that’s a whole different thing.” Can you give us more details about these thoughts?

PH: It is necessary to solve this problem.

My last book was about education (Battle for the American Mind) and it got a lot of positive feedback. Families could make an instant decision and change their lifestyle and say, “I’m going to move somewhere else,” or “I’m going to homeschool my kids,” or “I’m going to make a decision that will affect the way my kids are taught.”

ROCK SOLID FAMILY VALUES AND THE AMERICAN DREAM ARE THE KEY TO JD VANCE’S STORY AND WHAT HE WILL DO FOR OUR COUNTRY

Families today are faced with a choice: “Should I serve in the military or not?”

And so this massive drop in recruitment has come about because the traditional military families – those who have been committed to military service for generations – are advising their children, “Don’t do it. It’s different. The brotherhood is no longer there today, the ethos is no longer there, the training is no longer there – but the ideology is there. And I don’t want you to be a part of that.”

This creates a huge gap in recruitment, which leads to some really bad decisions. There are training deficiencies and a lowering of standards. And they may not seek out (American) citizens to fill the ranks, or they may introduce conscription – that’s what governments ultimately do, and they will do it if they have to.

The other challenge is that unless you feel that those ranks are full of patriots and capable people, there is no other way. The American military exists first and foremost to protect our interests, our country and our people, but it has also done a lot of good over the last century to protect freedom around the world, which keeps us safe.

But there is no other kind of “freedom army.” If we lose that army to a generation of socially just and politically correct bullshit parties, not only will it be difficult to rebuild it, but my greatest fear is that it will be vulnerable to political manipulation.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

And now we’re on the verge of it. And that’s why the next commander in chief must reinstate it in the Constitution, as a standard of meritocracy – and because it’s the last bastion of what actually keeps us free.

Fox News Digital: Are you surprised by the continued success of your book?

PH: It went from number 1 to number 2, then number 8 and 6 – and now number 3. So it seems to be taking on a life of its own, and people are buying it and then buying it for someone else or recommending it to others. And I say that with all modesty. It’s becoming the kind of book that military families are buying and recommending to people who are thinking about serving or people who have served.

And I believe that there is also a desire among military men and patriots to put the institution in order – that’s why I am touched.

And I just want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read it and say that it’s not just about my journey and my ministry – it touches on the stories of many, many other people as well.