In the Arena by Pete Hegseth will make readers think about what values are important to them. His motivation for writing this book is derived from Theodore Roosevelt’s speech, “Citizenship in A Republic,” specifically the quote “Man in The Arena.” The address is used as a roadmap for addressing the massive challenges facing America today. Anybody who desires to know what America really stands for and the underlying principles that make this country great will enjoy this book. American Thinker had the privilege of interviewing him about his book and important quotes Roosevelt reflected in this speech.

Pete Hegseth is a FOX News contributor who regularly appears on "FOX & Friends", "The Kelly File", and "Outnumbered". An infantry officer in the Army National Guard, he is a veteran of Iraq and Afghani­stan, served at Guantanamo Bay, and holds two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman’s Badge for his time overseas. 

Hegseth explained he stumbled upon the quote in college. “I printed out a copy, framed it, and took it with me where I served. It is a reminder to me about fighting for worthy causes. I found it very motivating. I think it is ‘un-PC’ before there was PC. Roosevelt’s beliefs can be applied today, what people are craving for: a strong leader, strength, competiveness, and belief in America. It is a reminder to people why they love this country and a reflection on our Founding Father’s ideals. It is no accident Roosevelt is on Mount Rushmore with Washington, the leader in the fight for our independence; Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration of Independence; and Lincoln, the leader in the fight during the Civil War. I would argue Roosevelt got this country off to a good start, that the 20th Century was America’s century.”

The following excerpt of Roosevelt’s speech applies directly to President Obama.

“Contempt is what we feel for the being whose enthusiasm to benefit mankind is such that he is a burden to those nearest him; who wishes to do great things for humanity in the abstract… Indeed, it is a sign of marked political weakness in any commonwealth if the people tend to be carried away by mere oratory, if they tend to value words in and for themselves, as divorced from the deeds for which they are supposed to stand. The phrase-maker, the phrase-monger, the ready talker, however great his power, whose speech does not make for courage, sobriety, and right understanding, is simply a noxious element in the body politic, and it speaks ill for the public if he has influence over them.”

Hegseth feels President Obama is exactly who Roosevelt warned about. “His unwillingness to defend America, never says America is exceptional, never says America is a force for good in the world, apologizes profusely, and has a goal to end wars even if it is detrimental to our country.”

Roosevelt also talked about the dangers of division in a Republic.

“They fell, and the prime factor in their fall was the fact that the parties tended to divide. Wide differences of opinion in matters of religious, political, and social belief must exist if conscience and intellect alike are not to be stunted.  The citizens of a republic should beware, and that is of the man who appeals to them to support him on the ground that he is hostile to other citizens of the republic, that he will secure for those who elect him, in one shape or another, profit at the expense of other citizens of the republic.”

To that end, Hegseth points out that Obama in 2008 spoke about the U.S. not being a collection of individuals or red states and blue states, but today “we are more divided than ever. He has pitted rich against poor, black against white, those that don’t agree with his policies as warmongers, as he attempts to advance his fundamental transformation of America.”

Roosevelt also speaks about what today would be called the rules of engagement. He literally talks about those who refer to themselves as “citizens of the world.”

“I believe that a man must be a good patriot. Experience teaches us that the average man who protests that his international feeling swamps his national feeling, that he does not care for his country because he cares so much for mankind, in actual practice proves himself the foe of mankind.”

As someone who served his country, Hegseth saw at firsthand how the rules of engagement have “become so burdensome, cumbersome, and legalistic that they restrict our war fighters on the battlefield. Are we willing to untie the hands of our war fighters so they can actually fight Islamic extremists? We worry more about oil truck drivers of ISIS who are called innocent civilians. Our trigger pullers cannot engage the enemy pre-emptively. We cannot bow down if we want to defeat an enemy that uses civilians. We have to be willing to get our hands dirty because of the shady tactics of our enemy. What we are seeing now are the seeds of the sixties generation who have never seen America as a force for good and saw America as not special. The ability to defend ourselves is important to maintain our sovereignty.”

One of the most controversial portions of the speech that would get many women upset today is Roosevelt’s desire for a citizen to have “such ordinary, every-day qualities include the will and the power to work, to fight at need, and to have plenty of healthy children.” When asked if he and Roosevelt are speaking of having women barefoot and pregnant, Hegseth replied, “Roosevelt is speaking of Americans having large families. But I do believe women should be empowered. We need to protect them in the work force, to create an environment where a woman can work and raise children. We need paid paternity leave, working from home, and flexible schedules. There must be a balance.”

In The Arena is a special book as it invokes the words of Teddy Roosevelt and makes them relevant to today. Hegseth takes the speech of Roosevelt and applies them to his 21st century beliefs. The author hopes that readers who believe in strength, leadership, and a good family structure will find this book informative, inspiring, and educational.

The author writes for American Thinker. She has done book reviews, author interviews, and has written a number of national security, political, and foreign policy articles.