On Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, faced his first confirmation hearing, in which he met criticism from Democrats and praise from Republicans during the hearing.
Several Democrats criticized Hegseth on sexual-assault allegations and allegations of heavy drinking. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) pressed Hegseth over an October 2017 incident, after which Hegseth was accused of sexual assault. “I was fully investigated and completely cleared,” Hegseth said of the allegation.
Hegseth responded to the claims of drunkenness by stating that the allegations were “all anonymous, all false, all refuted by my colleagues.”
Democrats also pressed Hegseth on his past opposition to women serving in combat roles in the military. “Women will have access to ground combat roles,” Hegseth told Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), in an apparent reversal of his earlier position.
During the hearing, Hegseth also promised to reinstate the service members who were discharged for refusing to get the Covid vaccine.
Several notable Republicans praised Hegseth’s performance in the hearing. “I don’t think they laid a glove [on him],” Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) said of the hearing. “Frankly, clearly they’re not going to vote for him, but I think the most important audience was the American people, and they have to be impressed. I was impressed.” Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) also described Hegseth as having “hit a home-run” during the hearing.
As Republicans have a 14–13 advantage on the Senate Armed Services committee, Hegseth can only lose a single Republican for his nomination to proceed to the full Senate, where Republicans hold a larger 53–47 majority. No Republican Senator has announced opposition to Hegseth.
Marco Rubio and Pam Bondi, who are Trump’s selections for secretary of state and attorney general, are set to face their first confirmation hearings on Wednesday.
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