longer.blue

Dear Senator Duckworth, I am a 4-year veteran of the United States Navy. I was proud to serve my country, to wear the uniform, and to be an active member of VAH-9, a heavy bomber squadron based in Florida. It was within that unit that I first heard the words "national security", not as an abstract idea, but as a real and pressing mission we lived every day. Our squadron played a central role in strategic deterrence during the Cold War, standing as a critical line of defense in a tense and uncertain time. The weight of that responsibility shaped not only our operations but also the way I came to understand service, duty, and the fragile nature of global peace. That’s why I am writing to you today with a deep alarm. We now have a Secretary of Defense whose only apparent qualification seems to be his unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump. This is not a partisan complaint, it’s a national security crisis. The incident referred to as “SignalGate” should have been more than enough to justify his immediate removal. It was a breach of trust and protocol at the highest levels. Why hasn’t action been taken? What are you and your colleagues doing to address this? Or perhaps more troublingly: what are you not doing? Even more disturbing is the recent revelation that Pete Hegseth shared sensitive operational details regarding a U.S. strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen in yet another private Signal chat, one he created himself, including his wife, his brother, and a dozen others. This is not just reckless. It is dangerous. It puts lives at risk. It compromises missions. It weakens America. What are you going to do about it? How much longer will we allow our national security to be compromised by inaction, cronyism, and political cowardice? Is there truly nothing that can be done? If this had happened during the Biden administration, you know full well that Trump’s supporters would be on every news outlet demanding resignations, accountability, and a public reckoning. Isn’t it time we saw our Democratic leaders fight just as hard to protect the country? We, the People, are doing our part. Protests are taking place daily. Voices are rising. But we need to see that same resolve from you and your fellow elected officials. You have a responsibility to act in the interest of national security, not just party politics. Hegseth must resign — immediately. There is no justification for allowing someone who has mishandled classified military information, not once but multiple times, to remain in a position of such immense responsibility. His actions were not only reckless, they were dangerous, compromising operational security and potentially endangering American lives. Nothing short of his resignation is acceptable. And let me be clear: his replacement must be someone with real, relevant experience — a qualified military professional with a deep understanding of defense strategy and the seriousness of the role. That individual must go through a full, transparent confirmation hearing before the Senate. This is not a time for political appointees or loyalty tests. It is a time for competence, accountability, and the safeguarding of our national security. We cannot afford to play politics with the Department of Defense. The stakes are too high. There is a box on your contact form that asks, "Expecting a Response?" I have now written to you three times, checked that box each time, and I have yet to hear a word in return. This time, I ask that you respond. I will be sharing this message publicly on Bluesky and other social platforms because these issues can no longer stay in the shadows. Silence is complicity. Respectfully, David Piekarczyk