Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has vowed not to back down from celebrating America’s “proud” Confederate history.

“We recognize our history,” Hegseth told Fox News host Will Cain on Thursday. “We don’t erase it. We don’t follow the woke lemmings off the cliff that want to tear down statues. ... We’re proud of our history.”

Hegseth was defending the decision to restore a Confederate monument in Arlington National Cemetery that critics say whitewashes the history of slavery in America.

Shortly after rebuking those who want to remove Confederate symbols, Hegseth made it clear that he is willing to do whatever it takes to defeat his opposition.

“Our job is to ensure our enemies know exactly what we will do to them if they threaten us up to and including total war,” he said.

The monument

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