Senate Democrats repeatedly berated Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Defense, during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. Despite being repeatedly badgered by critical Democrats, Hegseth has stood firm.
Hegseth is the first of Trump’s nominees to go through his confirmation hearing. Although Hegseth has drawn a fair amount of media attention leading up to Tuesday, Senate Democrats hammered the nominee’s personal challenges and past “mistakes.”
‘Washington doesn’t build men like Pete. Combat builds men like Pete.’
“I’m not a perfect person, but redemption is real,” Hegseth said, addressing the various allegations made against him. “And God forged me in ways that I know I’m prepared for.”
Democrats repeatedly brought up past, and often anonymous, allegations made against Hegseth’s past conduct, including alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct. Hegseth has repeatedly denied these allegations, calling them “anonymous smears,” and has pointed to the public support from hundreds of his past colleagues.
Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma stood up to the Democrats’ line of questioning that focused on these allegations, saying he has “had about enough of the liberal hypocrisy” against Hegseth.
“How many senators have shown up drunk to vote at night?” Mullin said. “… How many senators do you know have gotten a divorce for cheating on their wives?”
Republican Sen. Roger Wicker (Miss.), who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, similarly pushed back on the allegations made against Hegseth.
“The majority of these come from anonymous sources in liberal media publications,” Wicker said of the allegations.
“Washington doesn’t build men like Pete,” Wicker added. “Combat builds men like Pete.”
In addition to raising the anonymous allegations made against his past conduct, Democrats made a habit of repeatedly interrupting, talking over, and even protesting Hegseth’s testimony.
For instance, when Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) asked if he would “use our military to take over Greenland,” she cut him off and misrepresented Hegseth’s actual response.
“I would never in this public forum give one way or another direct what orders the president gives me,” Hegseth said.
“That sounds to me that you basically want to invade Greenland,” Hirono responded, cutting off Hegseth’s answer.
Hegseth’s past comments made about women in combat roles have also been a focal point for Democrats during the hearing. Hegseth, who has objected to women serving in combat roles, said repeatedly during the hearing that the standards in the military ought to be stringent and merit-based, commending the impressive and capable women he has worked alongside in the past.
“Should we believe you think the two women in this committee who served in the military made our military less capable?” Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire asked.
“No, their contributions are indispensable,” Hegseth said of the women who served in the military. “My comments are about having the same standards across the board.”
While Hegseth has spent much of his hearing on defense from Democrats, he has also faced hesitancy from Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa. Ernst herself is a veteran and has spent much of her career advocating for women who have been sexually assaulted in the military. Her advocacy is reportedly one of the reasons she was unsure about Hegseth’s nomination, given the allegations of sexual misconduct that have been made against him.
Although she had initially lobbied against Hegseth, she has since seemed to warm up to the nominee.
“You and I have had many productive conversations,” Ernst said. “… We have had many frank conversations.”
Hegseth also committed to appointing a senior-level official in the Department of Defense, should he be confirmed, dedicated to sexual assault prevention in the military.
Although he has faced pushback from the usual suspects, Republicans are operating with a comfortable Senate majority, leaving lawmakers and Trump allies confident that Hegseth will be confirmed.
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Pete hegseth, Donald trump, Pentagon, Department of defense, Dod, Trump administration, Trump cabinet, Trump nominee, Senate democrats, Senate republicans, Markwayne mullin, Roger wicker, Mazie hirono, Jeanne shaheen, Joni ernst, Rick scott, Politics
