Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a military combat veteran, tore into Hegseth over his lack of experience and his incorrect answers to some of her questions.
She tested him about his focus on the Asia-Pacific region and quizzed him about membership in ASEAN.
He named South Korea, Japan and Australia and Duckworth said, “None of those three countries that you mentioned are in ASEAN.”
“I suggest you do a little homework before you prepare for these types of negotiations,” she said.
The international organization consists of 10 countries including Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.
“You say you care about keeping our Armed Forces strong and that you like that our Armed Forces’ meritocracy,” she said. “Then let’s not lower the standards for you. You sir, are a no-go at this station.”
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., questioned Hegseth about his managerial experience, telling the nominee, “You don’t have that experience.”
“We’re hiring you to be the CEO of one of the most complex, largest organizations in the world. We’re the board of directors here,” Peters said.
“I don’t know of any corporate board of directors that would hire a CEO or a major company if they came and said, ‘You know, I supervised 100 people before,'” the senator continued, adding that Hegseth’s prior company is “not remotely near the size” of the DoD.
Peters said that while Hegseth is “a capable person,” he has not convinced him that he could take on “this tremendous responsibility.”
Hegseth responded to Peters’ claims by quipping that he’s “grateful to be hired by one of the most successful CEOs in American history,” referring to Trump.
Wicker quickly jumped in, saying, “Should I be confirmed?” and pointing out that most senators wouldn’t qualify either.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., blasted Kaine and other Democratic senators for what Mullin described as a double standard in their criticisms of Hegseth related to his alcohol use and alleged infidelities.
“The senator from Virginia starts bringing up the fact that, what if you showed up drunk to your job? How many senators have showed up drunk at night?” Mullin said. “Have any of you guys asked them to step down and resign from their job?”
“And don’t tell me you haven’t seen it, because I know you have,” he added.
“How many senators do you know have got a divorce before cheating on their wives? Did you ask them to step down?” he continued.
“A man’s made a mistake, and you want to sit there and say that he’s not qualified,” Mullin said. “It is so ridiculous that you guys hold yourself as this higher standard. You forget you got a big plank in your eye. We’ve all made mistakes.”
During an exchange over the revolving door between the Pentagon and the defense industry, Warren tried to get Hegseth to commit to not working in the defense industry for 10 years after he leaves the department if he is confirmed.
Hegseth avoided addressing the topic head-on.
“Senator, it’s not even a question I’ve thought about,” Hegseth said. “It’s not my motivation for this job.”
Warren interrupted by again asking if Hegseth could say that he was “quite sure that every general who serves should not go directly into the defense industry for 10 years.”
“You’re not willing to make that same pledge,” Warren continued.
“I’m not a general, senator,” he replied, prompting laughter in the chamber.
Moments later, as Sen. Tommy Tuberville began speaking, he teased the prior interaction by addressing Hegseth as “General Hegseth.”
“I mean, Mr. Hegseth,” Tuberville added, prompting another round of laughter.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., grilled Hegseth about his changing beliefs on women serving in combat roles.
“I have serious concerns that your behavior toward women disqualifies you from serving in this role,” Warren said.
Warren noted that Hegseth said in an interview on Fox News in 2013 that women in the military can’t measure up to men in the military, saying that allowing women to serve in combat roles would force the military to lower the bar. She also noted he made similar comments in 2015 and said in a podcast with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro last year that women shouldn’t be in combat at all.
“I’m not familiar with the article you’re pointing to in 2013 but it underscores my argument completely, because in that 2013 argument, I was talking about standards, standards are what it’s always been about,” Hegseth said.
Warren responded: “I want to be clear here. For 12 years, you were quite open about your views, and your views were consistently the same: Women are inferior, soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and guardians. And in case anyone missed the point, and these are your words from 10 weeks ago: ‘Women absolutely straight up should not be permitted to serve in combat.'”
Warren said that Hegseth made a big “about-face” after the election, saying that women should serve in combat.
“So help me understand, Mr. Hegseth, what extraordinary event happened in that 32-day period that made you change the core values you had expressed for the preceding 12 years?” Warren said.
“The concerns I have, and the concerns that many have had, especially in ground combat units, is that in pursuit of certain percentages or quotas, standards have been changed, and that makes the combat more difficult for everybody involved,” Hegseth said.
Warren responded: “Let me make a suggestion about what happened in that 32 days. You got a nomination from President Trump. I heard of deathbed conversions, but this is the first time I have heard of a nomination conversion.”
Hegseth defended Trump administration policies on rules of engagement for counter-terrorism, which dictate how the military can use force during enemy combat. He pointed to military efforts against ISIS in Iraq during Trump’s first term as an example of the “burdensome” rules.
“What President Trump did was untie the hands of war fighters, changed the rules of engagement … and allowed them to complete their mission and crush ISIS,” Hegseth said. “It has not just tactical implications, operational and strategic implications, how you allow war fighters to go about winning and fighting their wars.”
“Within the laws of war and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, we are going to unleash war fighters to win wars so that wars don’t drag on forever as our generation has seen,” he added.
Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, pressed Hegseth further on whether laws regarding war crimes should be repealed.
“We have laws on the books, from the Geneva Conventions into the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and then underneath that, you have layers in which standard or temporary rules of engagement are put into place,” Hegseth said.
“We fight enemies also — senator, as our generation understands — that play by no rules,” he continued. “They use civilians as human shields. They target women and children.”
After King questioned Hegseth whether he was implying that the Geneva Conventions should not be followed, Hegseth said he was making a “tactical distinction” between “rules that we swear an oath to defend” and “those echelons above reality.”
In his questioning of Hegseth, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said he was “disturbed” that the nominee did not make “a single mention” of Ukraine or Russia during his opening statement.
“Is this code for we’re going to abandon Ukraine?” King asked.
Hegseth answered by saying “that’s a presidential-level policy decision” and that Trump has “made it very clear that he would like to see an end to that conflict.”
“We know who the aggressor is. We know who the good guy is. We’d like to see it as advantageous for the Ukrainians as possible,” Hegseth added. “But that war needs to come to an end.”
In the policy questionnaire from the Senate Armed Services Committee that Hegseth completed ahead of the hearing, he suggested that the U.S. should deter Russia from acting against U.S. interests, but didn’t answer a question about the importance of the U.S. continuing to provide security assistance to Ukraine.
“If confirmed, I will ensure that the Department of Defense plays a key role in the whole-of-government effort to support the President’s Special Envoy for Ukraine-Russia,” he said in his questionnaire answer.
Hegseth said during a line of questioning from Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., that service members who were discharged from the military for refusing to get the Covid vaccine would be “apologized to and reinstituted with pay and rank,” in Trump’s Defense Department.
Hegseth called the FDA-approved Covid vaccine “experimental,” saying the Defense Department’s decision to mandate the vaccine in 2021 was an example of “extremism.”
The Defense Department lifted the Covid vaccine mandate in January 2023 after Biden signed the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act that required its removal.
Kaine also asked about an email Hegseth’s mother sent him accusing him of mistreating women. Penelope Hegseth later said she sent the email in “haste” and defended her son as a changed man.
Kaine and Hegseth sparred at length over the sexual assault allegation.
“Senator, I was falsely charged, fully investigated and completely cleared,” Hegseth said.
Kaine said: “So you think you are completely cleared because you committed no crime. That’s your definition of cleared. You had just fathered a child two months before by a woman that was not your wife. I am shocked that you would stand here and say you’re completely cleared.”
“I was completely cleared,” Hegseth said.
Kaine said, “If it had been a sexual assault, that would be disqualifying to be secretary of defense, wouldn’t it?”
“The incident in Monterey led to a criminal charge, a criminal investigation, a private settlement and a cash payment to the woman who filed the complaint. And there was also a nondisclosure agreement, correct?” Kaine continued. “Why didn’t you inform the commander in chief and the transition team of this very relevant event?”
“You chose not to reveal this really important thing to the commander in chief of the transition team because you were worried about your chances, rather than trying to be candid with the future president of the United States.”
The Monterey County District Attorney’s office said in a Jan. 2018 statement that it would not file charges concerning the investigation, saying “no charges were supported by proof beyond a reasonable doubt.” The motion by the DA’s office is what Hegseth has referenced to say he was “legally cleared” from the investigation.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., once playfully dubbed “America’s Dad,” is doing the ugly work of probing the sexual assault accusation against Hegseth in a way that Democrats had not been willing to do to this point. It’s by far the most focused questioning by any Democrat so far.
A second round of questions by senators is unlikely, a spokesperson said.
It’s unlikely unless there is a majority vote to overrule the bipartisan agreement.
Reed had requested a second round at the beginning of the hearing.
In his questions for Hegseth, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said the U.S. is “being completely outbuilt in terms of ships by the Chinese, and yet, [Biden’s] secretary of the Navy has been focused on climate change, not building ships in lethality.”
He then added, “If your secretary of the Navy ends up focusing on climate change more than shipbuilding and lethality, will you commit to me to fire him?”
“My secretary of the Navy, should I be confirmed, sir, will not be focused on climate change in the Navy, just like … the secretary of the Army will not be focused on electric power tanks,” Hegseth replied.
“We’re going to be focused on lethality,” he added.
Ernst faces some intraparty unrest in her home state, Iowa, as she weighs whether to support Hegseth, fueling speculation that she could face a challenge from the right as she runs for re-election in 2026.
Ernst’s allies are not worried about a potential primary challenge, noting that she remains popular among Republicans in the state and that she boasts strong conservative credentials.
But conversations with a dozen Iowa Republican leaders and strategists revealed anger toward Ernst among grassroots conservatives who want Republicans to back Trump’s Cabinet picks — and eye-rolling from some other Republicans who say rank-and-file Republicans are not worked up about Ernst to the degree some activists are saying.
Hirono asked if Hegseth would carry out an order from Trump to seize Greenland by force or to take over the Panama Canal. Hegseth dodged the question and began talking about the 2024 presidential election results.
“I will emphasize that President Trump received 77 million votes to be the lawful commander-in-chief of this country,” Hegseth replied.
“We’re not talking about the election,” Hirono said. “My question is, would you use armed military to take over Greenland or an ally of Denmark?”
“One of the things President Trump is so good at is never strategically tipping his hand,” Hegseth said. “So I would never in this public forum give one way or another direct what orders the President would give to me in any context,” Hegseth said.
Stifled laughter spread through the hearing room as Hirono made sarcastic conclusions from Hegseth’s indirect answers.
Hirono took issue with Hegseth’s fitness to serve over allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking in a combative line of questioning.
When asked about a settlement he paid to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, Hegseth said the allegation was false and that he was “completely cleared” after investigation — a characterization Hirono disagreed with.
“I don’t think ‘completely cleared’ is accurate,” Hirono said. “The fact is that your own lawyer said that you entered an NDA, paid a person who accused you of raping her a sum of money, to make sure that she did not file a complaint.”
Hirono then shifted her questions to reports of Hegseth being intoxicated at work, which Hegseth denied. He reiterated his promise to stop drinking if he is confirmed as secretary of defense but did not answer clearly whether or not he would resign from the role if he were caught consuming alcohol on the job.
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, is the 10th senator to ask questions, and she’s the first to ask about the sexual assault allegation against Hegseth — doing so in the form of a stock question she asks all nominees.
She ends the exchange by saying, “Moving on.” If that’s the end of Hirono’s prodding on sexual assault allegation, that’s not exactly a deep dive.
Ernst, long seen as a pivotal GOP vote on Hegseth, opens her questioning by introducing a letter defending him, and asking him about Pentagon audit policy. If she’s planning to oppose Hegseth, she’s sure hiding it well.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is now questioning Hegseth.
Ernst, a survivor of sexual assault and a member of the Armed Services Committee, has been noncommittal about whether she’d vote to confirm Hegseth, though she has said she will “support” him “through this process.”
Ernst has raised questions about a sexual assault allegation made against Hegseth in 2017 (Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing). She has faced pressure from Trump allies to back him.
How she votes could go a long way in determining whether he is confirmed.
She asked him directly, “As secretary of defense, will you support women continuing to have the opportunity to serve in combat roles?”
Hegseth responded, “My answer is yes.”
“Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles, combat roles, given the standards remain high, and we’ll have a review to ensure the standards have not been eroded in any one of these cases.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., asked Hegseth about “financial mismanagement” at the two veterans organizations he led: Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America.
Blumenthal said that Hegseth took over Vets for Freedom in 2007 and in 2008, it raised $8.7 million but spent more than $9 million “creating a deficit by January 2009.”
“You told donors that the organization had less than $1,000 in the bank and debts of $434,000. By 2010, revenue at the Veterans for Freedom had dropped to about $265,000,” Blumenthal said. “In the next year, it had dropped further to $22,000. You don’t dispute these numbers, do you?”
Hegseth said that he was proud to work with fellow veterans who were young and with no political experience.
“We have letters submitted for the record from almost everyone that worked with me every single day, including our chief operating officer, who will attest that every dollar we raised was used intentionally toward the execution of our mission, which is supporting the warfighters,” Hegseth said.
Blumenthal then asked Hegseth about the number of service members in each branch of the military.
“Those numbers dwarf any experience you had by many multiples. I don’t believe that you can tell this committee or the people of America that you are qualified to lead them,” the senator said. “I would support you as the spokesperson for the Pentagon. I don’t dispute your communication skills.”
Asked if he’s willing to submit to further FBI background checks, Hegseth repeatedly said that he’s not in charge of FBI background checks.
Striking a confrontational tone in her line of questioning, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said she has “many concerns” about Hegseth’s record and public statements. Gillibrand noted she is compelled to press the Cabinet nominee on issues of equality because his past comments have been “so hurtful” to current military service members.
“You will have to change how you see women to do this job well, and I don’t know if you are capable of that,” Gillibrand said, pointing to Hegseth’s public statement that he does not believe women should serve in combat roles.
Hegseth has “denigrated” and “degraded” active duty service members, hundreds of whom are women and members of the LGBTQ community, Gillibrand said.
Holding up a printed copy of physical requirements for military infantry service members, Gillibrand said they are “gender neutral” and “very difficult to meet,” noting with a raised voice they “have not been reduced in any way” to accommodate women.
Gillibrand also noted she was displeased by Hegseth’s failure to meet with her before the confirmation hearing.
Gillibrand has a long history of advocating for gender equality across military branches and has championed sexual assault prevention efforts in the armed services.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has asked Hegseth to respond directly to the three protesters who interrupted his opening statement.
Cotton pointed out that the first protester had yelled that Hegseth was a “Christian Zionist.”
Asked by Cotton, “Do you consider yourself a Christian Zionist?” Hegseth replied, “I’m a Christian, and I robustly support the state of Israel and its existential defense.”
Hegseth added, after being asked to respond to a second protester’s remarks, that “I support Israel destroying every last member of Hamas.”
Three people were arrested and charged with crowding, obstructing or incommoding, according to U.S. Capitol Police. Earlier in the hearing, protesters who interrupted Hegseth’s opening statement were removed by officers.
Shaheen asked Hegseth about past comments he has made suggesting women should not serve in combat roles.
“Senator, I would like to clarify when I’m talking about that issue, it’s not about the capabilities of men and women. It’s about standards,” he said, saying that over time, they’ve seen an erosion of “certain duty positions, certain schools, certain places, which affects readiness, which is what I care about the most, readiness.”
Hegseth said, “I would say I would be honored to have the opportunity to serve alongside you, shoulder to shoulder, men and women, black, white, all backgrounds with a shared purpose. Our differences are not what define us. Our unity and our shared purpose is what define us. And you will be treated fairly with dignity, honor and respect, just like every man and woman in uniform.”
Shaheen shot back, “I appreciate your 11th-hour conversion.”
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., began her questioning of Hegseth by saying that she tried to meet with him before the confirmation hearing but that he did not ever respond to her request.
“I’ve been on this committee since 2011 and during that time, I voted to confirm six nominees to be secretary of defense from three administrations,” Shaheen said, adding that included two Democratic and one Republican administration.
“Every one of those nominees met with me and my Democratic colleagues on this committee before the hearing. So as you can imagine, I was disappointed when no one ever followed up,” the senator told Hegseth.
Shaheen asked Hegseth if he understood that if confirmed as defense secretary, he would have “a responsibility to meet with all members of this committee, not just Republicans?”
Hegseth responded that he looked forward to working with Shaheen and her colleagues, saying: “National defense is not partisan. It should not be about Republicans or Democrats.”
Reed pressed Hegseth on reporting war crimes and his role in pushing for Trump to pardon or promote men accused or convicted of war crimes.
“As someone who’s led men in combat directly and had to make very difficult decisions, I thought very deeply about the balance between legality and lethality, ensuring that the men and women on the front lines have the opportunity to destroy with and close the enemy and that lawyers aren’t the ones getting in the way,” Hegseth said.
He added that he was not discussing the Uniform Code of Military Justice or Geneva Conventions, but rather “restrictive rules of engagement” that have “made it more difficult to defeat our enemies.” Hegseth claimed that there was evidence withheld and prosecutorial misconduct in the cases Reed referred to.
Reed finished his questioning by asking Hegseth what a “jagoff” is, which Hegseth defined as an officer within the Judge Advocate General’s Corps “who puts his or her own priorities in front of the war fighters.” Jagoff is a derisive term meaning a stupid person.
In a tense exchange, Reed asked Hegseth if he was “aware” of reports that current serving military personnel had received emails “threatening them with being fired for supporting the current Department of Defense policies.”
Reed stated that one such email to a military officer that he’d been made aware of read, “with the incoming administration looking to remove disloyal, corrupt, traitorous, liberal officers such as yourself, we will certainly be putting your name into the list of those personnel to be removed.”
Hegseth said, “certainly I’m not aware of that — it’s not one of my efforts” before diving into his focus on “accountability.”
The exchange quickly resulted in brief sparring with Reed, with Hegseth criticizing the “DEI policies of today,” which he said “are not the same as what happened back then.”
“They’re dividing troops inside formations, causing commanders to walk on eggshells, not putting meritocracy first,” Hegseth said.
Reed fired back, telling Hegseth that “all of your public comments don’t talk about meritocracy — they talk about liberal democratic efforts that are destroying the military, that those people are enemies.”
As Democrats begin their questioning of Hegseth, he’s almost certain to hear lines of inquiry that have come up in his prep sessions. A source familiar says Hegseth has run “murder boards,” including as recently as last week, to get ready for today’s high-profile hearing.
Reed said he believes the FBI’s background investigation into Hegseth was insufficient for a nominee with “very complicated personal issues.” Reed and Wicker were the only two panel members to be granted access to the FBI report, which they received late last Friday.
“You and I have both seen the FBI background investigation of Mr. Hegseth, and I want to say for the record I believe the investigation was insufficient, frankly,” Reed said. The FBI report did not include interviews with Hegseth’s ex-wife, or with the woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, according to sources familiar with the content of the report.
Reed also argued the report should have been made available to all members of the committee, noting the idea had bipartisan support during discussions. Asking Wicker to allow the other members to read the report before he began his questioning, Reed said the committee would have been following precedent.
Wicker disagreed, pointing to the past two confirmation hearings of current Defense Secretary Loyd Austin and James Mattis in which only the panel’s chairman and the ranking member had access to FBI background investigation. Citing “much discussion,” Wicker stood staunchly behind his decision to keep the report from being widely distributed to the panel.
Reed requested that there be a second round of questions presented to Hegseth before the hearing finishes.
“Many of my members would like a second round,” Reed said after Wicker finished his first set of questions, adding that in his recollection, the committee had “never den[ied] anyone the opportunity to ask a second round of questions.”
Wicker pushed back, telling Reed that he believed there would be “adequate time” for questioning.
“We’re following the same exact precedent on all things that we did with Secretary Austin, so I respectfully understand what you’re saying, but I think we have an agreement,” Wicker said. “It’s been known for quite some time, and I intend to stick with that agreement, which we made last December.”
Wicker focused his first question on accusations against Hegseth, which he said came from “anonymous sources in liberal media.” Hegseth said that there was a “coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media against us.”
“What we knew is that it wasn’t about me. Most of it was about President Donald Trump, who’s had to endure the very same thing for much longer amounts of time,” Hegseth said.
He continued, “From story after story in the media, left-wing media, we saw anonymous source after anonymous source based on second- or third-hand accounts.”
Hegseth said that a handful of anonymous sources “were allowed to drive a smear campaign and agenda about me, because our left-wing media in America today, sadly, doesn’t care about the truth.”
“All they were out to do, Mr. Chairman, was to destroy me. And why do they want to destroy me? Because I’m a change agent and a threat to them, because Donald Trump was willing to choose me, to empower me, to bring the Defense Department back to what it really should be, which is war-fighting.”
Hegseth’s opening remarks were interrupted three times by protesters but he followed his prepared opening statement almost exactly as it was written, emphasizing that “my only special interest is the warfighter.”
Hegseth’s opening statement was interrupted by three protesters, all of whom were escorted from the room.
The first protester could be heard calling Hegseth a “Christian zionist.”
After the man, who was taken by officers and physically removed from the room, a woman in the audience began yelling moments later about “bombing babies in Gaza.”
She was picked up by an officer and carried out of the room. A third man began yelling just a minute later, having to be picked up by four officers and carried out of the room.
Hegseth paused each time a protestor began yelling, pursing his lips and waiting for the noise to subside.
After the second protestor began yelling, Wicker addressed the room, saying that Capitol Police would remove any individuals who disrupted the hearing.
“I see a pattern attempted to be inflicted on the committee, and we’re simply not going to tolerate that,” Wicker said.
Trump’s incoming White House national security adviser Mike Waltz, still serving in the House, introduced and endorsed Hegseth for defense secretary.
“Like Pete, I served in the U.S. Army. Like Pete, I’m a veteran,” Waltz said. “We deployed to Afghanistan and all over the world at the height of the war on terror, which is the war of our generation, and like thousands of other war fighters, we have witnessed the hardships of war. We have experienced the loss of friends in combat. We have endured too much time away from family and friends.”
Waltz said that Hegseth can “reinvigorate” warrior ethos and said he’s “a man that will lead. I can’t imagine having a more capable partner in my position as national security adviser.”
Waltz and former Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., who also introduced Hegseth, claimed that military recruitment is down, but it actually rose sharply last year.
Pete Hegseth’s past statements on women in combat roles and military DEI practices are “extremely alarming,” Reed said in his opening statement.
Leading with a personal anecdote about serving in the military in the 1970s, Reed recalled an organization that was rife with racial tension, sexism and LGBTQ-centered bigotry. The branch at the time was “certainly not the nation’s most capable military by any standard,” Reed said, emphasizing the importance of a body that reflects the American people it vows to protect.
With Hegseth at the helm, Reed worries today’s historically diverse military could backslide, pointing to an interview Hegseth did in November where he said, “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles.”
Reed also pointed out other quotes from Hegseth, including one about how the military is “weakened by political correctness,” saying “diversity” is not the military’s strength, “unity is.” Hegseth’s anti-DEI sentiment could negatively affect the recruitment, readiness and retention practices the military relies on, Reed said.
“Our military is more diverse than it has ever been, but more importantly is more lethal than it has ever been. This is not a coincidence,” Reed said.
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said in his opening statement that he does not believe Hegseth is “qualified to meet the overwhelming demands” of defense secretary, citing allegations of sexual assault, excessive drinking and his comments that women should not serve in combat roles
“We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you,” Reed said. Reed added that he has reviewed many of the allegations and finds them “extremely alarming.”
“Indeed, the totality of your own writings and alleged conduct would disqualify any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the secretary of defense,” Reed said.
Hegseth has denied allegations of sexual assault and has said he would not drink as secretary of defense.
Committee Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said in his opening statement that Hegseth would take over the Pentagon “in a moment of consequence.”
“The United States faces the most dangerous security environment since World War II,” Wicker said, identifying Chinese aggression, threats from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, and terrorism from Hamas and Hezbollah as top priorities to tackle.
“Admittedly, this nomination is unconventional,” Wicker said. “The nominee is unconventional, just like that New York developer who rode down the escalator in 2015 to announce his Kennedy candidacy for president. That may be what makes Mr. Hegseth an excellent choice to improve this unacceptable status quo.”
Wicker said that Hegseth would “shake up” the bureaucracy and “fix” issues at the Pentagon, which he claimed focuses too much on DEI (a frequent Republican complaint about the Biden administration).
He also said that the accusations against Hegseth had only “come from anonymous sources.”
“Contrast these anonymous accusations with the many public letters of support and commendation we have seen letters from people who served with Mr. Hegseth,” he said. “These individuals have worked with him professionally. They really know him and his character. These patriotic Americans have been willing to put their names and reputations on the line to support Mr. Hegseth.”
In a 75-page questionnaire, Hegseth answered numerous policy questions posed by the Senate Armed Services Committee about a range of issues facing the military.
Addressing sexual assault in the military, Hegseth said that he would place a “high-level official in charge” to oversee a plan to prevent sexual assault and harassment across the military.
He was asked about women serving in the military and seemed open to them serving in any role. “Every service member, regardless of gender, who can meet objective occupational and readiness standards for a career field should have the opportunity to compete for jobs in that field,” he said. Hegseth had previously opposed women serving in combat roles.
Hegseth said that the military has become “too focused on political issues of social justice, political correctness, critical race theory, climate change, etc.,” the questionnaire said. “The military is an a-political institution that should be focused only on lethality, equality, meritocracy, and readiness.”
And while Hegseth indicated that the U.S. should actively deter Russia from acting against U.S. interests, he couldn’t answer a question about whether it’s important for the U.S. to continue providing security assistance to Ukraine.
“If confirmed, I will ensure that the Department of Defense plays a key role in the whole-of-government effort to support the President’s Special Envoy for Ukraine-Russia,” he said.
The confirmation hearing for Hegseth before the Senate Armed Services Committee has begun. Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., called for a moment of silence for the victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Pete Hegseth at his confirmation hearing today.Saul Loeb / AFP – Getty Images
Senate Democrats foreshadowed that there could be “surprises” at today’s hearing, pointing out that rank-and-file members had not been given a copy of a report on the FBI background check on Hegseth or other requested materials and that that information could come to light.
“There may be surprises because we have been denied access to some of the materials and documents and other information, including the FBI report, that may contain information forthcoming during the hearing,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., an Armed Services member, told reporters last night.
“In other words, we may not know what he may tell us in the hearing, simply because we haven’t been privy to a lot of the documents, most prominently an FBI report,” the senator continued. “The Trump transition team has been stonewalling and slow-walking us. It amounts to a campaign of cover up.”
Another Armed Services member, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., added: “I think there will be surprises.”
Trump posted on Truth Social to wish Hegseth luck ahead of his hearing this morning.
“Pete Hegseth will make a GREAT Secretary of Defense. He has my Complete and Total support,” Trump said in the post.
“Good luck today, Pete!” the president-elect added. Trump repeatedly reiterated his support for Hegseth amid the allegations of misconduct last year.
Hegseth is set to begin confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill. In his opening statement obtained by NBC News, he leans into his outside perspective. “It’s time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm,” he is expected to say. NBC’s Ryan Nobles reports for “TODAY.”
Hegseth arrived at the Russell Senate Office Building just before 9 a.m. ET, telling NBC News that he is “feeling great” ahead of today’s hearing.
“Looking forward to today,” Hegseth added as he entered the building.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said yesterday that Hegseth’s prior ideas about women serving in combat roles are a threat to the country’s security.
“Women make up nearly one in five members of our military — serving on the frontlines,” Warren said in a post on X. “But Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, doesn’t believe women in the military should serve in combat roles.”
Warren said the country needs to recruit “the most talented people we can to keep America safe,” adding “what happens if we wipe out 1000s of qualified women from our military, women who are already doing the job?”
Hegseth has repeatedly said in the past, including in a podcast in November, that he doesn’t believe women should serve in combat roles, a comment that was met with immediate backlash. Since then, Hegseth has softened his approach, saying on a different podcast in December that women could serve in combat as long as they meet “the right standard.”
Despite Hegseth’s backtrack, Warren said his position will mean Americans “will all be less safe, and we can’t let that happen.”
Hegseth will lay out his agenda and criticize the Biden administration in his opening statement, according to his prepared remarks.
He will say his top three goals were to “restore the warrior ethos,” “rebuild our military” and “re-establish deterrence.”
Hegseth will also say that the Defense Department would remain “patriotically apolitical” under his leadership, taking a jab at the Biden administration while doing so.
“We are not Republicans or Democrats — we are American warriors. Our standards will be high, and they will be equal (not equitable, that is a very different word),” Hegseth is expected to say .
Hegseth is also expected to say that he has a different résumé from past defense secretaries.
“As President Trump also told me, we’ve repeatedly placed people atop the Pentagon with supposedly ‘the right credentials’ — whether they are retired generals, academics, or defense contractor executives — and where has it gotten us? He believes, and I humbly agree, that it’s time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm. A change agent. Someone with no vested interest in certain companies or specific programs or approved narratives,” he will say.
Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor, is also expected to tout his past work leading troops and experiencing combat up close. Hegseth, who has come under fire over reports of concerning drinking habits while he was working at nonprofit organizations, is expected to say he was “incredibly proud” of the work those nonprofit organizations did, and he said he “very much looks forward” to discussing their “many successes.”
Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson and her nonprofit group sent a letter yesterday asking the Senate Armed Services Committee to allow an alleged victim of sexual assault to testify anonymously at Hegseth’s confirmation hearing.
“The alleged survivor must be afforded the opportunity to provide testimony to your committee anonymously, as rape victims are routinely allowed to do in a court of law. No survivor of sexual violence must endure the death threats, the doxing and the professional and personal destruction that comes simply from having the courage to speak out against a high profile nominee,” reads the letter from the nonprofit Lift Our Voices which was obtained by NBC News. The committee confirmed receipt of the letter.
Carlson, who alleges she experienced sexual misconduct while she was working at Fox, co-founded Lift Our Voices, which advocates against nondisclosure agreements in the workplace.
Hegseth has acknowledged that he paid an undisclosed amount in 2023 as part of a settlement agreement that included stipulations related to confidentiality with a woman who alleged that he sexually assaulted her at a conference in Monterey, California. Hegseth has denied the allegation and said the sexual encounter, which local authorities investigated, was consensual. The Monterey district attorney has said charges weren’t filed because no “charges were supported by proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Hegseth’s attorney Tim Parlatore has suggested that the accuser could face a defamation or civil extortion claim if she speaks publicly and repeats what he says are false claims. Parlatore declined to comment on Carlson’s letter.
Today’s confirmation hearing is one of many scheduled for this week.
Tomorrow, Senate committees will hold hearings for seven of Trump’s planned nominees: Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., for secretary of state; former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for attorney general; South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem for secretary of homeland security; former Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought for his old post; former Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., for transportation secretary; former National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe for CIA director; and Liberty Energy founder Chris Wright for energy secretary.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., warned that Trump’s pick will be “demeaned” and “ripped” during the confirmation process before he makes it “across the finish line.”
“Now this group of Democrats, they’re there to stop Donald Trump from achieving his agenda, and it all starts tomorrow with Pete,” Tuberville said at a news conference yesterday.
“We don’t need a general from the Pentagon. We’ve tried that. We need a drill sergeant, somebody that’s been in two wars, somebody that understands camaraderie and team and work ethic and time restraint and respect, personal respect, believing in yourself. First, we’ve got to get all that back,” said Tuberville, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which will hear Hegseth’s testimony at today’s confirmation hearing.
A group of veterans wearing pins supporting Hegseth have gathered outside the Senate confirmation hearing room.
Frank Thorp V / NBC News
While Hegseth is likely to be asked about allegations of sexual assault, excessive drinking and mismanagement in his previous jobs at today’s confirmation hearing, some current and former military officers say his strident statements about war crimes prosecutions of U.S. troops — and his advocacy for service members who were convicted by fellow service members — risk undermining core principles that have shaped the American military for decades.
A current U.S. military officer who asked not to be named said Hegseth’s stance “should be disqualifying.” And Paul Eaton, a retired Army major general, said Hegseth’s support for service members accused of — or convicted of — crimes on the battlefield could have ripple effects through the military.
“He condoned murder and execution,” Eaton said, referring to Hegseth’s past in cases as a Fox News contributor. “That will create a stunning problem for every senior noncommissioned officer out there, every leader down to the squad leader.”
The FBI background check on Hegseth does not include interviews with Hegseth’s ex-wives or with the woman who accused him of sexual assault in a California hotel room in 2017, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the contents of the report.
It is standard protocol to interview current and former spouses in FBI background checks, according to two other sources familiar with the process. But it is also contingent on cooperation from the interviewees, and it is not clear whether the FBI attempted outreach to those people.
