The Top Gun: Maverick Theory of Pete Hegseth
The article uses the character of Maverick from the 'Top Gun' film franchise to critique the professional stagnation and arrested development of Pete Hegseth. It draws parallels between the fictional pilot's refusal to grow up and the political figure's perceived lack of professional evolution.
Why it matters
It uses pop culture as a lens to analyze the character and professional readiness of a high-profile political appointee.
Like Tom Cruise in the movie, the defense secretary appears stuck in his past.
The Atlantic. Sources: Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty; Scott Garfield / Paramount. July 22, 2026, 12 PM ET Share Save W hen audiences first met Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in 1986’s Top Gun , he was a lieutenant at the Navy’s elite school for fighter pilots. The movie doesn’t give his age, but that would probably have put Maverick, as he teamed up with his buddy Goose in the skies over California and the glistening volleyball pits by the sea, in his mid-to-late 20s. When Top Gun: Maverick was released, 36 years later, Mav was still flying. With his aviators and winsome smile, he looked great for a man in his 60s.
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