Pete Hegseth has reportedly picked up a three-word nickname that takes aim at the military credentials he promotes. The label surfaced around a gathering of elite Army heroes, where admiration for decorated commanders reportedly stood in stark contrast to the secretary’s reputation among some senior officers.
Pete Hegseth reportedly received a nickname from army heroes
The nickname is “No Tab Pete,” a reference to the absence of prestigious military qualification patches such as the Ranger and Sapper tabs on Hegseth’s uniform. The label circulates inside the Pentagon as Hegseth pushes a more forceful vision of America’s armed forces.
The nickname reportedly became a talking point after Gen. Christopher Donahue’s retirement ceremony at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Donahue had served with Delta Force, led the elite unit from 2013 to 2015, and later served in Army operations in Europe and Africa. He also became widely known as the final U.S. service member to board a military aircraft during the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal (via The Daily Beast).
That room carried plenty of battlefield credibility. Army officials and veterans gathered to honor Donahue, while former Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Gen. Randy George represented senior leaders involved in modernizing U.S. forces for drone warfare. A Daily Beast source said Hegseth’s nickname received little attention until the dinner afterward, when alcohol allegedly loosened tongues.
Driscoll soon submitted his resignation to President Donald Trump, as per The Washington Post, after warning about the damage Hegseth’s leadership was causing the Army. His departure followed more than 20 senior military exits during Hegseth’s 20 months as secretary, according to the Daily Beast.
Hegseth has, meanwhile, emphasized physical standards and military toughness. At a gathering of roughly 800 senior officers, he demanded “no more beardos, no more fat generals,” while the Army introduced waist-to-height checks. The Pentagon also promoted a video showing Hegseth performing 44 bench presses at Guantánamo Bay.
His own public rhetoric has leaned just as heavily into combat imagery. Speaking in August, Hegseth recalled his Iraq service, while in March he described the Iran conflict as one that “was never meant to be a fair fight.”
