Defense Secretary hopeful Pete Hegseth called himself the target of a “coordinated smear campaign” by denying a series of allegations about his personal and professional conduct during a high-stakes confirmation hearing in the Senate on Tuesday.
Hegseth said reports of his allegations of sexual impropriety, alcohol abuse and mismanagement of nonprofit organizations were based on “anonymous sources” and peddled by media outlets trying to “me destroy”.
But Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee grilled him about those and other controversies throughout the tense hearing on whether the 44-year-old Army veteran and former Fox host News is qualified to lead the Pentagon, the nation’s largest government agency.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., weighed in on Hegseth’s admitted past infidelities and warned him not to “make this a matter of the anonymous press,” noting that some allegations against him have been made on the record.
Hegseth also faced early criticism from Democrats over his past comments about the role of women and other groups in the military.
“You have denigrated active duty military members,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. “We have hundreds, hundreds of women who are currently in the infantry, lethal members of our military serving in the infantry. But you are degrading them.”
Hegseth responded that he respected all military women and that his concerns were only about whether standards had been lowered for the troops.
When Gillibrand asked for an example, Hegseth responded that there were quotas for female infantry officers.
Gillibrand replied, “There’s no such thing.”
Republicans on the Senate panel praised Hegseth almost uniformly, and many echoed his criticism of the direction of the U.S. military under the Biden administration. Others used their speaking time to defend Hegseth against Democrats on the panel.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, Republican of Oklahoma, at one point accused Democrats of hypocrisy on their questions.
“How many senators do you know who got divorced before cheating on their wives? Have you asked them to step down?” » Mullin said. “No, but it’s for show.”
Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said in his opening remarks that Hegseth’s unconventional candidacy may be what makes him “an excellent choice,” and compared him to President elected Donald Trump.
Pete Hegseth, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill January 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images
But the committee’s ranking Democratic senator, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, bluntly told Hegseth: “I do not believe you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this position.” »
Reed said he found the allegations against Hegseth “extremely alarming.”
“I voted for all of your predecessors, including those in the first Trump administration. Unfortunately, you do not have the character, composure, and skills to serve as Secretary of Defense,” Reed said.
Upon entering the audience, Hegseth was greeted with a standing ovation from some audience members. But shortly after beginning his opening speech, Hegseth was interrupted three times by protesters who shouted at him as they were carried from the room.
A protester is carried out of the room by Capitol Police officers as Pete Hegseth, US President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Armed Services Committee of the Senate on Capitol Hill on January 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. .
Allison Robert | Afp | Getty Images
Trump supported Hegseth, who defended himself against the allegations.
He denied being excluded from both veterans groups and said he would not drink alcohol if confirmed as defense secretary.
He also denied allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel in 2017, while he was at Fox. An investigation by police in Monterey, California, ended with no charges against Hegseth. His lawyer, who repeatedly called the accusations false, acknowledged that Hegseth reached a confidential settlement with the woman.
The prosecutor later said she did not press charges because “no charge was supported by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.”
In his opening remarks, Hegseth said he was “incredibly proud” of the work he has done for nonprofits and defended his resume and leadership credentials.
Although he has served tours at Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan, Hegseth has significantly less military or government experience than other recent Pentagon leaders. Current Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austinfor example, has over 40 years of military experience and served as commander of U.S. Central Command.
“It is true that I do not have a biography similar to that of the defense secretaries of the last 30 years,” Hegseth said in his opening statement.
“But, as President Trump also told me, we have repeatedly placed people at the top of the Pentagon with so-called ‘the right qualifications’ – whether retired generals, academics or defense company executives – and where has that led us? he said.
The revelations about Hegseth sparked speculation that he could become Trump’s second choice to step down, after former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz dropped his bid for attorney general.
But some Republicans have would have have signaled in recent days that they believe Hegseth has enough support to get past the Armed Services Committee and be confirmed by the full Senate.
The circumstances of Hegseth’s appointment comparisons made at the dramatic Senate hearing centered on sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s second Supreme Court nominee.
Kavanaugh, who vehemently denied the accusations, was confirmed 50-48.
