President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary Pete Hegseth has railed against women in combat, voiced support for troops accused and in some instances, convicted of war crimes, and advocated for the firing of the military’s most senior officers accused of supporting so-called “woke” policies.

How Hegseth became an "anti-woke" advocate is still coming into view. But it is becoming increasingly clear that he came to a crossroads in January 2021.