Pete Hegseth’s four-hour hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday was highly contentious. Democrats derided him as unfit to oversee the Defense Department’s 3 million employees and $849 billion budget. Republicans acknowledged he was an unconventional choice, but suggested it was just what the Pentagon needed.
Here are four findings from the hearing:
It looks like Hegseth has the votes to get out of committee.
Despite all the fireworks in the proceedings, it appears Mr Hegseth has the votes needed to proceed. None of his answers seemed to trouble the Republicans who control the committee.
Voting has been scheduled for Monday.
An indication of how things would be for him was already given by questions from Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa. Her vote is considered important because she is a veteran and has also fought for broader protections against sexual assault in the military.
Only six weeks earlier, Ms. Ernst had raised reservations about Mr. Hegseth’s qualifications. Since then, she has been the subject of intense lobbying by conservative groups on her behalf.
She has not yet said how she will vote, but she spent much of her time during the hearing helping him.
She pressed him repeatedly on the importance of the Pentagon audit – a relatively safe topic. She also encouraged him to reiterate promises he had made to her privately, including appointing a senior officer to strengthen his past work to prevent sexual harassment and rape in the military. Was.
His relatively mild question suggests that Mr. Hegseth is on track to win confirmation by the full Senate, barring new developments.
Hegseth portrayed his life as a redemption story.
Mr. Hegseth repeatedly declined to say whether someone accused of sexual harassment or excessive drinking or marital infidelity should be disqualified from leading the Pentagon. He also did not promise to resign if he had to break his promise not to drink alcohol if confirmed.
In general, he avoided specific allegations about his personal conduct, claiming only that he had been the victim of false allegations by unnamed sources, disseminated by media organizations he said were working to destroy them. Were determined to.
“I’m not a perfect person, but liberation is real.” he said at one point. He also said, “I have failed at things in my life, and thankfully I have been redeemed by my Lord and Savior Jesus.”
One senator who appeared to be in his crosshairs was Democrat Tim Kaine of Virginia. Mr. Kaine pressed him about allegations that he raped a woman in Monterey, California, in 2017 while he was married to his second wife and that two months later his girlfriend, now his third wife, raped him. Gave birth to a child.
This episode resulted in no criminal charges. Mr Hegseth, who said the encounter was consensual, paid the woman an undisclosed sum as part of the agreement.
“So you think you’re completely innocent because you haven’t committed any crimes?” Mr. Cain demanded. “How do you explain your decision?”
She faced sharp questioning about her views on women in war.
The toughest questioning was over Mr Hegseth’s previous statements that women should not serve in combat roles. Democratic senators accused him of merely revising those views in hopes of winning a Cabinet post.
Mr Hegseth said: “Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles, given that standards remain high, and we will review to ensure that standards are not eroded.”
Female Democrats in particular attacked him over his past comments. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York seemed particularly angry, saying his statements were “cruel and mean and they insult the men and women who are willing to die for this country.”
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, asked whether women would get a fair shot at promotion if she led the Pentagon, given her earlier suggestions that they make the military a less lethal force. He said he would.
Republicans praised her communications skills honed as a television anchor.
Mr. Hegseth and his Republican colleagues on the panel made the case that his lack of experience compared to previous defense secretaries would be a plus.
Mr Hegseth said: “As President Trump also told me, we have repeatedly put people with the right qualifications at the top of the Pentagon, whether they are retired generals, academics or defense contractor officials. And where has it led us?”
Republican senators appreciated his skills as a communicator. After running two small nonprofit organizations, both of which fell into debt, Mr. Hegseth was the weekend anchor on “Fox & Friends” for seven years.
During the hearing, he generally spoke confidently, generally revealing little evidence of being nervous.
Democrats said his lack of experience was reflected in his answers.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, also a veteran, gave him a sort of foreign affairs quiz, asking him to name countries in ASEAN – the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He can’t. At another point he told her: “Do a little homework” before such sessions.