Secretary of Defense hopeful Pete Hegseth began testifying in a high-stakes Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday, as he seeks 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 put a spotlight on recently surfaced allegations of past sexual impropriety and alcohol abuse by Hegseth.
The 44-year-old Army veteran and former Fox News host like will also have to defend himself against allegations that he mismanaged two veterans’ nonprofits years earlier.
The committee’s 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-elect Donald Trump.
But the committee’s ranking Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, bluntly told Hegseth, “I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job.”
Reed said he finds the allegations against Hegseth “extremely alarming.”
“I vote in favor of all your predecessors, including those in the first Trump administration. Unfortunately, you lack the character and composure and competence to hold the position Secretary defense,” Reed said.
As he entered the hearing, Hegseth was greeted with a standing ovation from some audience members.
Trump has stood behind Hegseth, who has defended himself against the allegations.
Pete Hegseth, US President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Defense Secretary, 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 denied being pushed out of the two vets’ groups, and said he would not drink alcohol if he was confirmed as Defense secretary.
He has also denied allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman at a hotel in 2017, while he was at Fox. A probe by police in Monterey, California, ended without charges against Hegseth. His attorney, who repeatedly called the accusations false, has acknowledged that Hegseth reached a confidential settlement with the woman.
The district attorney later said she did not file charges because, “No charges were supported by proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”
In his prepared opening remarks shared with NBC News, Hegseth does not mention the controversies about his alleged personal behavior.
But he says he is “incredibly proud” of the work he did for the nonprofits, and defends his resume and leadership credentials.
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 Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, for instance, has more than 40 years of military experience and had served as commander of U.S. Central Command.
“It is true that I don’t have a similar biography to Defense Secretaries of the last 30 years,” Hegseth’s opening statement says.
“But, 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?” it says.
The revelations about Hegseth bred speculation that he could become the second of Trump’s picks to withdraw, following former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz scrapping his bid for attorney general.
But some Republicans have reportedly signaled in recent days that they believe Hegseth has enough support to advance past the Armed Services Committee and be confirmed by the Senate.
The circumstances of Hegseth’s nomination have drawn comparisons to the dramatic Senate hearing centered on sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s second Supreme Court nominee.
Kavanaugh, who vehemently denied those accusations, was confirmed 50-48.
This is developing news. Please check back for updates.
