Donald Trump’s cabinet picks are beginning their nomination process this week, starting with Trump’s choice for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. The hearing opened Tuesday as senators question whether the former combat veteran and TV news show host is fit to lead the U.S. military.
Here’s the latest:
Sens. Jean Shaheen and Kirsten Gillibrand hammered Hegseth over his views on women in combat
Shaheen noted that Hegseth has said publicly: “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles.” But has since then said more generally he supports women in the military.
“Which is it?” Shaheen demanded, adding, “I appreciate your 11th hour conversion.”
She submitted for the record a chapter of his book that outlines his opposition to women in combat. She also asked whether that meant he did not think the two female senators who served in the military are less capable.
Gillibrand told Hegseth his quotes about women are terrible and harmful to morale.
“You will have to change how you see women to do this job,” she said.
Hegseth faces a Senate committee that includes several women
As Pete Hegseth’s stance on the role of women in the military comes under questioning by both Democratic and Republican senators, he faces a committee with several women combat and foreign policy leaders.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who’s a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, has been an advocate for women in the military and women’s rights globally. Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, are both combat veterans who sit on the committee.
Freshman Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., served in the intelligence community. And a narrow majority of the Senate Armed Services Committee are women, including a majority of its Democratic members.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen asked multiple questions about Hegseth’s stances on women in the military
Just after her questions, committee chair Sen. Roger Wicker motioned to introduce five testimonials from women who had served in the military in support of Hegseth’s nomination.
Hegseth was combative in the face of questions from Democrat Ranking Member Reed
Hegseth often talked past Reed’s questions and refused to defer to the senior member as he tried to get his questions answered.
In one particular exchange, Hegseth scoffed as Reed asked him to explain what a “JAG Off” was — responding to Reed that “I don’t think I need to” because troops knew what it was. Only after further pressure from Reed did Hegseth say it was a military lawyer who “put their own priorities in front of the warfighters.”
Would Hegseth be the first defense secretary who’s been on the font lines in combat?
The argument that Hegseth would be the first door-kicker or service member to serve on the front lines in combat to become defense secretary has continued to evolve and become far more specific.
An array of previous secretaries have had combat service, dodging bombs and leading troops into the fight, including current Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin who led the invasion into Iraq.
On Tuesday, the assertion was whittled down to Hegseth being the first “to have served as a junior officer on the front lines, not in the headquarters, on the front lines in the War on Terror.”
It’s not clear how “junior” an officer they had to be.
Lt. Col. Jim Mattis fought in the Gulf War — he later retired as a four-star general and was Trump’s first defense secretary. And Trump’s final acting Pentagon chief, Chris Miller, served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army special forces officer. He later retired as a colonel.
Chuck Hagel was a first: the first former enlisted soldier to become defense secretary, and he served as a sergeant on the front lines in Vietnam.
Sen. Reed pressed Hegseth on his opposition to diversity initiatives in the military
Ranking member Sen. Jack Reed, Democrat, noted that the military was a forerunner in American society on racial integration efforts and other inclusive standards.
Hegseth said that it was “precisely right the military was a forerunner in courageous racial integration in ways no other institutions were willing to do” but argued that modern diversity and inclusion policies “divide” current troops and didn’t prioritize “meritocracy.”
Reed replied that Hegseth’s statements were “a political view” that he repeated in harsher terms without mentioning meritocracy in past statements.
Reed said Hegseth’s intention was to “politicize the military in favor of your particular position” and would harm “the professionalism of the United States military.”
Sen. Wicker denies request to release FBI report to the full committee
While Reed and Wicker were maintaining a bipartisan tone, Wicker denied Reed’s requests to release the FBI report to the fuller committee and denied a request to allow members a second round of questioning.
Ranking member Jack Reed called the FBI investigation ‘insufficient’
“There are still FBI obligations to talk to people. They have not had access to the forensic audit” of Hegseth’s time at the head of a veteran’s advocacy group where he is facing questions of financial mismanagement, the Democrat said.
Hegseth criticizes the accusations made against him
Hegseth called the accusations of drinking and womanizing he would face from “left wing media” on “second and third hand accounts” a “coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media against us.” Hegseth said the attacks were about Trump, not him.
He did not specifically address any of the accusations and did not tell Chairman Wicker that he did not drink or womanize.
Several more protesters jumped out from the audience
Wearing camouflage fatigues, the protesters stood on their chairs and began condemning Hegseth throughout his opening remarks. Each was swiftly dragged out from the hearing by Capitol Police.
One woman jumped up and yelled that her veteran father “had committed suicide after his service and you’re sending money to bomb babies…every veteran in here needs to speak up” she screamed as she was ushered out of the room. Another yelled that Hegseth supported “murdering babies…that’s the real recruiting crisis” he screamed as three officers carried him by his arms and legs out.
Several other people were approached by police and directed out of the room without any clear coercion.
More from Hegseth’s opening remarks
Hegseth in his opening remarks Tuesday said “officers and enlisted, Black and white, young and old, men and women, all Americans, all warriors — this hearing is for you. Thank you for figuratively, and literally, having my back. I pledge to do the same for you. All of you.”
Hegseth struck a far different tone in his opening remarks than he did in his books
Comments in his books included inflammatory passages questioning the capabilities of Black troops —like a passage in “War on Warriors” that “we can assume that 17 percent of all Black officers in the Air Force are promoted simply because of how they look,” and questioning the value of women serving in combat.
As Hegseth spoke, a protester calling him a misogynist was removed from the hearing.
Michael Waltz and Norm Coleman both left Hegseth’s side after delivering their remarks
Hegseth then began delivering his opening remarks thanking Coleman and Waltz for their “mentorship” and “powerful words” respectively.
Outgoing Republican Florida Rep. Mike Waltz praises Hegseth
Outgoing Republican Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, who’s leaving Congress for a position as Trump’s National Security Advisor, pushed that Hegseth’s military service as a “junior officer on the front lines” was what the Pentagon needed at this time.
“The status quo is unacceptable. It is not working,” Waltz said.
Who’s sitting with Hegseth?
Pete Hegseth is seated between two close allies who’ve helped advocate for his nomination on Capitol Hill. On Hegseth’s left sits Norm Coleman, former Republican U.S. Senator from Minnesota, and to his right sits Rep. Michael Waltz, a GOP congressman from Florida who Donald Trump has tapped to serve as his national security advisor.
A former senator asks to give Hegseth a chance despite his past indiscretions
Hegseth “has struggled and overcome great personal challenges. Please don’t focus on the cynical notion that people can’t change,” said Norm Coleman, a former Republican U.S. Senator from Minnesota.
In the audience during the hearing
Throughout the audience for Pete Hegseth’s Senate confirmation hearing are cadres of men wearing clothing expressing support for veterans or service in the military.
Several wore clothing affixed with military badges or patches. Some wore clothing denoting they were veterans, like one man wearing a Marine Veteran baseball cap. Others were more partisan in nature. Nearly a dozen men seated in the audience wore baseball caps that included the phrase “For Hegseth” brightly emblazoned in red. At least one man wore a black and gold “Make America Great Again” ball cap.
The ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services said Hegseth isn’t qualified for the job
“We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you,” said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island. “Indeed, the totality of your own writings and alleged conduct would disqualify any servicemember from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense.”
He said he respects Hegseth’s military service, but said the nominee’s public comments against women in combat and diversity in the military and other issues are “extremely alarming.” Reed also said he’s concerned about Hegseth’s management of two veterans’ organizations and questioned how he could run the much larger Defense Department.
Sen. Wicker says Hegseth stands out because of his lack of Washington experience
“Washington doesn’t build men like Pete. Combat builds men like Pete,” Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker said.
An ‘unconventional’ nomination as a boon, chairman contends
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker called Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Defense Department “unconventional” but equated the choice as fitting for President-elect Donald Trump.
“Admittedly, this nomination is unconventional. The nominee is unconventional,” Wicker said.
Hegseth, Wicker said, was an unorthodox political figure “just like that New York developer who rode down the escalator,” in 2015.
Hearing begins for Defense nominee Pete Hegseth as senators launch round of public vetting for Trump’s Cabinet picks
Pete Hegseth, president-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the Department of Defense, entered the Senate hearing room alongside his entourage.
During Senate hearing, Hegseth will make overtures to female and Black troops
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick to be defense secretary, will make overtures to female and Black troops in his confirmation hearing Tuesday after questioning the capabilities of both groups.
In prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press, Hegseth says to “officers and enlisted, Black and white, young and old, men and women, all Americans, all warriors — this hearing is for you. Thank you for figuratively, and literally, having my back. I pledge to do the same for you. All of you.”
That strikes a far different tone than he did in his published books, which include inflammatory passages questioning the capabilities of Black troops — like a passage in “War on Warriors” that “we can assume that 17 percent of all Black officers in the Air Force are promoted simply because of how they look,” and questioning the value of women serving in combat.
Hegseth to say he would be a ‘change agent’ if confirmed
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary will tell senators he would be a “change agent” at the Pentagon if he’s confirmed.
Pete Hegseth will face questioning from the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday as Democrats have questioned whether the former combat veteran and TV news show host is fit to lead the U.S. military. In his prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press, Hegseth says “it’s true that I don’t have a similar biography to Defense Secretaries of the last 30 years” but “where has it gotten us?”
Hegseth said Trump believes, “and I humbly agree, that it’s time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm.”
Expect Hegseth to be grilled over his derogatory statements about women
Hegseth will have to answer for his derogatory comments about women in military service as two former female combat veterans, GOP Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa and Democrat Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, are among those grilling him from the dais.
“He can try to walk back his comments on women in combat all he wants, but we know what he thinks, right?” said Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, who lost her legs and partial use of her right arm when the Blackhawk helicopter she was piloting in the Army National Guard was shot down.
Duckworth said she plans to ask Hegseth about his logistical experience, how many people he’s commanded and about his diplomatic skills. Many senators have not yet met with Hegseth, and they have not been given access to his FBI background check.
“He’s the most unqualified person to ever be nominated for Secretary of Defense,” Duckworth said.
How military groups have reacted to Hegseth’s nomination
Hegseth has the support of some veterans’ groups that say his past indiscretions are not as important as getting in the job someone who will focus on improving military readiness to fight.
Four defense officials pointed to Hegseth’s acknowledged problems and said senior officers have expressed unease about having him at the helm because the defense secretary often sits in judgment of generals and admirals accused of bad behavior — including infidelity and refusal to obey orders.
Service members expect those holding them accountable to set an example and meet equally high standards, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay private discussions.
“Character is everything in an institution,” said former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who served in the Obama administration and was a longtime Republican senator. “You can’t minimize how important character is in leadership.”
Hegseth could lead troops who’d face getting fired for actions he’s done in the past
If Pete Hegseth were still in uniform, his extramarital affairs and a decision to flatly ignore a combat commander’s directive would not just be drawing the attention of senators — they could have run afoul of military law.
That’s raising questions among current and former defense leaders and veterans about whether he would be able to enforce discipline in the ranks if confirmed as President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary. Hegseth would oversee more than 2 million troops who could be disciplined or kicked out of the service for the same behavior he has acknowledged or been accused of in the past.
Hegseth, a 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News Channel weekend host, has acknowledged having multiple extramarital affairs — which occurred while he was in the military, according to divorce records — and has said he told his troops to ignore commands about when to fire on potential enemies. Both violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice and can get troops court-martialed and dishonorably discharged.
He’s also facing questions over his past drinking — which, had it occurred in uniform, also could have led to disciplinary action.
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