Pete Hegseth Senate Confirmation Hearing Underway for Trump’s Defense Secretary Pick

Warren noted that Hegseth said in a 2013 interview on Fox News that women in the military can’t measure up to men in the military, and said that would force the military to lower the bar by allowing women to serve in combat roles. She also noted that he made similar comments in 2015, saying 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 2013 article you’re pointing to, but it completely underscores my argument, because in that 2013 argument I was talking about standards, standards is what it’s always been about,” Hegseth said.

Warren replied: “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 if anyone missed the point, and these are your words from 10 weeks ago: ‘Women should not be allowed to serve in combat’.”

Warren said Hegseth made a big “about-face” after the election, saying women should serve in combat.

“So help me understand, Mr. Hegseth, what extraordinary event occurred in that 32-day period that caused you to change the core values ​​you had expressed for the previous 12 years?” Warren said.

“The concerns that I have, and the concerns that many have had, especially in combat units on the ground, is that in the pursuit of certain percentages or quotas, standards have been changed and that makes the fight more difficult for everyone involved,” Hegseth said .

Warren responded: “Let me make a suggestion about what happened in those 32 days. You got a nomination from President Trump. I heard about deathbed conversions, but this is the first time I’ve heard of a nomination conversion.”