On Tuesday, senators began a confirmation hearing for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegse, where personal problems and culture battles are anticipated to take center stage.
During his appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hegseth, a former Fox News personality and Army combat veteran, is the first member of Trump’s Cabinet to be publicly questioned by Congress. As senators scramble to assist Trump in completing his government before his inauguration on Monday, there are also about a dozen additional hearings planned for this week.
Trump’s new national security advisor, Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., and former Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn, introduced Hegseth at the hearing.
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Hegseth stated in his planned opening remarks that he wants to rebuild our military, reestablish deterrence, and restore the warrior culture.
“Political interference in military affairs should be avoided, in contrast to the current administration. Hegseth will declare, “We are American fighters, not Republicans or Democrats. “Our standards will be high, and they will be equal (not equitable, that is a very different word).”
Hegseth, who was appointed to head the enormous Defense Department, has denied accusations of sexual assault, excessive drinking, and financial mismanagement while he was in charge of a veterans advocacy group. He has been under fire for his previous resistance to allowing openly gay individuals and women to serve in combat, which he has now retracted.
Others are worried that Hegseth lacks the managerial skills necessary to run the vast military bureaucracy, which has a budget of over $800 billion and employs over 2.1 million people.
Trump has defended Hegseth in the face of the criticism, declaring that he has his complete support. Republican senators have been under pressure from Trump’s supporters on Capitol Hill and in outside conservative organizations to back the nominee.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the new chairman of the Armed Services Committee, opened the hearing by admitting that Hegseth is an unusual choice, but he said that this might be what makes him a great choice, drawing comparisons to Trump.
According to Wicker, the Pentagon needs a combat-hardened warfighter and change agent who can quickly put an end to divisive distractions like DEI, or diversity, equality, and inclusion initiatives.
Hegseth’s record, however, would prohibit any service member from holding any leadership post in the military, let alone the top position in the Pentagon, according to Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the panel’s senior Democrat.
“I have voted for every defense decretary nominee who has come before me, including during Trump’s first term,” said Reed, a longstanding member and past chairman of the Armed Services Committee.
also expressed fear that Hegseth would introduce partisan politics into an institution that should be free from politics, but also criticized Hegseth for refusing to meet with other Democrats on the committee.
Reed remarked, “Unfortunately, you lack the competence, poise, and character necessary to serve as secretary of defense.”
In the closely divided Senate, Hegseth cannot afford to lose a large number of GOP votes, as Democrats are expected to provide little to no support. The support of Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a sexual assault survivor and military veteran who has been dubious of Hegseth’s candidacy, will be crucial on the Armed Services Committee.
Outside the panel, special attention is also paid to two Senate Republican women who are frequently viewed as moderates: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.
Concerns have been raised by senators from both parties regarding a sexual assault accusation from 2017. Before forcing himself on her following a political gathering in Monterey, California, Hegseth allegedly stole her phone and prevented her from leaving his hotel room, according to a female employee of a Republican women’s organization. Hegseth agreed to pay an undisclosed amount after she told the police about the incident.
Hegseth has stated that the relationship was consensual, and his attorney stated that he firmly believed he was the victim of innocent collateral damage and blackmail in a falsehood that the Complainant was clinging to in order to preserve her marriage.
Three people with firsthand knowledge of the report’s contents claim that the FBI background check on Hegseth, which was given to the chairman and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee late last week, omits interviews with the lady and Hegseth’s ex-wives.
In addition, Hegseth’s mother accused him of texting women after his second divorce, but she later denied the claims, referring to her son as a “changed man,” and she now backs his nomination.
Collins and other Republican senators have reported that they had fruitful talks with Hegseth, and that he exceeded their expectations.