President-elect Trump's pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, emerged largely unscathed from his sometimes acrimonious confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.
Democrats on the committee cited Mr. Hegseth's lack of experience leading a large and complex agency like the Department of Defense, allegations about his treatment of women and excessive drinking, and Mr. Hegseth's concerns about the role of women in the military. He took aim at his past statements.
Several Democrats also expressed concern that the FBI's background check on Hegseth, an Army veteran, left out key details about serious charges against him. The report was viewed by the committee's top two members on Friday.
But the Republican committee rallied behind the former Fox News host. Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) declared the hearing a “tour de force” and “victory” on Hegseth's side.
“Mr. Hegseth had three audiences: the committee, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. general public. I think he did a great job of conveying his knowledge and leadership ability, and I thought today's hearing was very good. Wicker told reporters. “I don't think so. [it] It could have gone better. ”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), whose vote for Mr. Hegseth was considered decisive, announced on Simon Conway's radio show after the hearing that she would vote for the candidate.
Here are five takeaways from the hearing.
Hegseth survives
After the hearing, Republicans on the council expressed confidence that Hegseth would ultimately win approval.
They want him to perform well and urge Republicans to remain calm despite attempts by committee Democrats to steer him into missteps that could hurt his chances in the full Senate. I believe that I have heeded the call.
“I think he helped himself tremendously today,” Wicker told reporters after the hearing.
Unlike other candidates, Mr. Hegseth is focused on retaining the necessary number of Republicans, rather than trying to win over Democrats who are considered unbeatable.
He met with Ernst many times to allay Ernst's concerns. By contrast, he met with only one Democratic member of the committee.
Democrats complained Tuesday about a lack of communication, but the strategy worked because he stuck to the script and didn't make the obvious mistakes that deprived him of the four Republican votes needed to sink him. It is possible that he played
“This is the kind of thing we expected to see happen. I definitely think Mr. Hegseth has done a good job in many cases,” said committee member Sen. Mike Rounds, R.S. D.) told reporters.
Rounds said pointed questions from Democrats like Sen. Tim Kaine (Virginia), who had a heated exchange with Hegseth about a past affair, did not ultimately hurt the candidate.
“We knew it was going to be brought up just because it was in the early stages of being part of the discussion, so it's not surprising that it was brought up the way it was,” Lowndes said. said. “Mr. Hegseth has responded to this, but now it's important to move on and see if anyone else has second thoughts about supporting Mr. Hegseth. I don't think that's changed their minds. .”
Hegseth slams 'smear campaign'
Mr. Hegseth, who appeared on stage Tuesday, resembled the one witnessed by lawmakers and reporters at the Capitol in early December, when he went on an all-out attack to save his nomination, a defiant, media-savvy man. was.
This was clear from the fact that he preemptively acknowledged what the Democratic Party was about to ask and refuted the allegations.
“What was very clear to us from the beginning was that there was a systematic smear campaign organized in the media against us. That was clear from the first moment,” Hegseth said in an opening statement. mentioned in. “And what we knew was that it wasn't about me. Most of it was about President Donald Trump.”
Democrats have repeatedly attacked and harshly criticized him for his past comments about women in combat, his 2017 sexual assault accusations, his drinking and infidelity. He tried to deflect all of this by claiming it was done by anonymous individuals who were eager to attack him. brought him down.
He also received support from Republicans throughout the day. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance complained that Democrats were “in the lead.”
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), a prominent ally of President Trump, was perhaps the biggest critic of Democratic questions, including questions from Mr. Kaine about Mr. Hegseth's personal life and three marriages. .
“Virginia senators started bringing up the fact that what if they showed up to work drunk? Has anyone asked you to resign?'' Marin asked.
“Don't say you haven't seen it. I know you have,” Marin said. “Do you know how many senators are divorced because their wives cheated on them? Did you ask them to resign? No, it's a show. Make sure you all make a big show.” [It’s] It's hypocrisy when a person makes a mistake and you want to sit there and say he's not qualified. ”
Women in combat emerge as an important issue
None of Hegseth's previous statements appear to have caused as much backlash as his public assertion in November that women should not serve in combat roles.
On Tuesday, several senators on both sides of the aisle, including Democratic Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire) and Kirsten Gillibrand (New York), pressed him on his comments, saying that 18% of women I asked him how he could lead an active-duty military that accounts for so many Americans.
Gillibrand noted that as recently as Nov. 7, Hegseth said in a podcast interview that the U.S. military “should not be putting women in combat roles.” It didn't make us any more deadly. Combat has become more complex. ”
“Please explain these kinds of statements, because they are cruel and mean and disrespectful to the men and women who are willing to die for this country,” she told Hegseth.
Hegseth said he respects women in uniform, but disagrees with what he said is an “erosion” of physical fitness standards to meet the “quota” for women in infantry jobs. , he replied. Gillibrand and others pushed back on that argument, saying the standards remain equal across the board.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a former Army helicopter pilot who lost both her legs when her plane was shot down in Iraq, sometimes raises her voice when speaking on the subject.
“You say you want to keep our military strong without lowering standards.” [for women]” she said. “Then stop lowering your standards.”
But Republicans largely seemed to give Hegseth the benefit of the doubt, with Ernst, a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, opening his questioning by introducing a letter from a Hegseth supporter and opening his mouth to explain Hegseth's comments. .
“Yes, women have access to ground combat roles, combat roles, given that standards are still high,” Hegseth said, adding that whether she would support women to continue in such jobs. When asked by Mr. Ernst, he answered.
Hegseth told Ernst that “we intend to conduct a review to ensure that standards have not been eroded in any of these cases,” and that both men had met with “candid” individuals on multiple occasions prior to Tuesday. He pointed out that the issue was passionately discussed in a private conversation.
Hegseth incurs anger by dodging the question.
Several Democrats were visibly upset during the hearing that Hegseth dodged questions and gave the impression that he was unwilling to answer tough questions.
At various points during the hearing, candidates were asked questions about President Trump's potential military actions related to Greenland and the Panama Canal, the use of active-duty military personnel in U.S. concentration camps, and the response of veterans organizations. refused to answer directly.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York likened his answer to the movie “Dodgeball.”
“Unfortunately for Mr. Hegseth, his testimony thus far fails to address the disturbing questions plaguing his nomination,” Schumer said at Hegseth's hearing. “Mr. Hegseth's strategy appears to be to follow the five D's of dodgeball: dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge.”
“Mr. Hegseth, for example, could not explain why someone who is not qualified for him should be given command of the military. Why would America entrust the military to a TV personality who has never led a large organization? “Is there a need?” he continued. “It's a huge organization, [Defense Department]. He is far from having such managerial experience. I didn't get a good answer to that question. ”
Hegseth declines to speculate on possible Trump order
At several points during the hearing, Democrats asked Hegseth whether he would follow direct orders from the next commander in chief even if they turned out to be unconstitutional.
Sen. Maisie Hirono (D-Hawaii), referring to President Trump's expansionist comments last week, asked Hegseth if he intended to send U.S. troops to seize Greenland or the Panama Canal.
“Would you carry out President Trump's order to seize by force Greenland, a territory of Denmark, a NATO ally? Or seize the Panama Canal?” Hirono asked.
“Senators, I want to emphasize that President Trump received 77 million votes to become the legitimate commander in chief,” Hegseth said, declining to say whether he would invade territory.
Later, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), a former CIA analyst and a new member of the committee, said that amid concerns that President Trump might bring in the military against protesters. I asked Mr. Hegseth if he plans to use active duty U.S. military personnel. Strengthen illegal immigration and border security.
“If President Trump issues an illegal order, you'll be the only person standing on the breakthrough, right? I'm not saying he'll do it, but if he does, you'll think he's He will be the one called to carry out this command,” she said. “Do you agree that there are some orders of the Commander-in-Chief that violate the Constitution of the United States?”
Mr. Hegseth largely sidestepped questions, citing hypothetical conversations that he would not be able to have in person, but acknowledged that “there are laws and procedures in the Constitution that must be followed.”
Hegseth also said he is consulting with President Trump about securing the southern border, but that “everything we do is legal and constitutional.”
