Washington:
The U.S. Senate appears poised to narrowly confirm former Fox News host Peter Hegseth as secretary of defense on Friday, but opponents say Donald Trump's selection was based on the high office, heavy drinking and domestic violence. He claims to be far from experiencing a disturbing history of violence.
Hegseth's résumé is so thin and his list of alleged personal problems so long that he has the unusual privilege of leading the world's largest nuclear-armed military, with about 2.9 million personnel and an $850 billion budget. They are being selected.
He has never led a large organization. He served as a major in the National Guard and is best known until recently for his work as a pro-Trump Fox News host.
After his nomination, a number of damaging allegations surfaced, including a history of excessive drinking, abuse of his second wife, and one count of sexual assault.
His ex-sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, said in an affidavit received by deputies that he subjected her to emotional abuse and that his second wife “kept her in the closet out of fear for her safety.” He said he was told that he had been in hiding. . ”
According to the affidavit, Ms. Hegseth also told her former sister-in-law that women should not work or have the right to vote, adding, “Christians need to have more children to overtake the Muslim population.'' “There is,” he said.
Mr. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing, and Mr. Trump has backed him, telling reporters Friday that “Pete is a very, very good person.”
Hegseth has a combative media personality, fierce loyalty and telegenic appearance, traits common among Trump's inner circle.
Supporters argue that his deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq have given him the acumen to run the Pentagon better than those at the top who are generally considered qualified for the job.
Difficult Senate calculations
At Senate hearings and in media appearances, Mr. Hegseth has actively advocated the need to make the U.S. military less “awake” and more “lethal.” He is also focused on ending the lowering of standards to help women join the military.
He has called the allegations of inappropriate personal conduct against him “slanderous,” but has said he plans to quit drinking if confirmed as Pentagon chief.
Republicans hold only a slim majority in the Senate, with two of the party's 53 senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, voting against Hegseth, and Democrats unanimously voting against him. It is expected that this will join the list of “no” forecasts.
Still, Hegseth could be forgiven for being squeamish. If another Republican votes no, it would become 50-50, with President Trump's Vice President J.D. Vance coming in to break the equation.
On Thursday, the Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe as director of the CIA, and a vote on Kristi Noem's nomination to be secretary of Homeland Security is scheduled for Sunday morning.
The focus then shifts to Treasury nominee Scott Bessent and President Trump's transportation nominee Sean Duffy.
It is not expected that it will be difficult for Republicans to capture these votes.
But the divisions laid bare by Mr. Hegseth's nomination will flare up again next week when three more of Mr. Trump's most controversial nominees are thrust into the spotlight.
Kash Patel, President Trump's nominee to head the FBI, will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, the same day as Tulsi Gabbard's hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Both women face major questions about their personalities, judgment and past positions, including Gabbard's repeating of the Kremlin's talking points on Ukraine. They are not expected to win support from Democrats.
Thursday is shaping up to be a day of drama as the Senate holds the first of two scheduled confirmation hearings for President Trump's nominee for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He is likely to be criticized for his anti-vaccine comments and support for other conspiracy theories.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)