Trump Defense Picks Pete Hegseth Senate Confirmation Hearing

Defense secretary hopeful Pete Hegseth began testifying in a high-stakes Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday as he tries to overcome an expected grilling from Democrats about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon, the nation’s largest government agency.

The hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee will focus on recently surfaced allegations of past sexual impropriety and alcohol abuse by Hegseth.

The 44-year-old military veteran and former Fox News host will also have to defend himself against allegations that he managed two veterans’ nonprofits years earlier.

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,” comparing him to President-elect Donald Trump.

But the committee’s ranking Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, bluntly told Hegseth, “I don’t think you’re qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job.”

Reed said he finds the allegations against Hegseth “extremely alarming.”

“I vote for all of your predecessors, including those in the first Trump administration. Unfortunately, you lack the character and the composure and the competence to hold the position of defense secretary,” Reed said.

When he entered the hearing, Hegseth was met with a standing ovation from some in the audience. But shortly after he began his opening remarks, Hegseth was interrupted three separate times by protesters who shouted at him as they were carried out of the room.

Trump has stood behind Hegseth, who has defended himself against the charges.

Pete Hegseth, US-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, takes his seat as he arrives for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill on January 14, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images

He refused to be pushed out of the two vets’ groups and said he would not drink alcohol if confirmed as defense secretary.

He has also denied allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman at a hotel in 2017 while at Fox. An investigation by police in Monterey, California ended without charges against Hegseth. His lawyer, who repeatedly called the accusations false, has acknowledged that Hegseth entered into a confidential settlement with the woman.

The district attorney later said she did not file charges because “None of the charges were supported by proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”

In his prepared opening remarks shared with NBC News, Hegseth did not mention the controversy surrounding his alleged personal conduct.

But he says he’s “incredibly proud” of the work he did for the nonprofits and defends his resume and leadership.

While he served tours in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan, Hegseth has significantly less senior military or government experience than other recent Pentagon leaders. Current Minister of Defense Lloyd Austinfor example, has more than 40 years of military experience and had served as commander of the US Central Command.

“It’s true that I don’t have a resume that resembles that of defense secretaries of the last 30 years,” Hegseth’s opening statement says.

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“But, as President Trump also told me, we’ve repeatedly placed people at the top of the Pentagon with supposedly ‘the right credentials’ — whether they’re retired generals, academics, or heads of defense contractors — and where has that gotten us ?” it says there.

The revelations about Hegseth sparked speculation that he could become the second of Trump’s picks to withdraw, after former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz scrapped his bid for attorney general.

But some Republicans have reportedly have signaled in recent days that they believe Hegseth has enough support to move past the Defense Committee and be confirmed by the Senate.

That has the circumstances of Hegseth’s nomination drawn comparisons for the dramatic Senate hearing centered on sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s second Supreme Court nominee.

Kavanaugh, who vehemently denied the allegations, was confirmed 50-48.

This is developing news. Please check back for updates.