Republican president-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, is expected to be pressed Tuesday at a Senate confirmation hearing on matters ranging from diversity in the military to allegations of inappropriate behaviour toward women.
Hegseth’s performance before the Senate’s armed services committee could determine his fate, even as Republicans hold a six-seat advantage in the chamber overall. The slim Republican Senate majority means that Hegseth can lose support from no more than three senators to be confirmed, if Democrats and independents Bernie Sanders and Angus King unite against him.
Cabinet nominees almost never lose Senate votes, because they’re typically withdrawn if they seem to be in trouble.
Hegseth, who has little management experience, would be in charge of an organization with a nearly $1-trillion US budget, 1.3 million active-duty service members and nearly one million civilian workers.
The next secretary of defense will face a number of major overseas issues, including active conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza and the expansion of China’s military, though it is unclear how much time will be spent on them during the hearing.
Excessive drinking, sexual assault allegations
A number of episodes have sparked concern among mostly Democratic lawmakers, including a 2017 sexual assault allegation that did not result in charges and that Hegseth strongly denies, and accusations of excessive drinking and financial mismanagement at veterans’ organizations.
The 44-year-old has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the military and has questioned whether the top U.S. general has the job because he’s Black. Prior to his nomination, Hegseth strongly opposed women in combat roles.
President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for his top cabinet posts are in, but it could prove tough to defend some of the more controversial ones, including defence secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, who is accused of sexual assault.
During Trump’s first term, Hegseth lobbied the president on behalf of Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher, Maj. Matthew Golsteyn and Lt. Clint Lorance before military tribunals involving the men had been completed. Each man was facing accusations of war crimes.
Trump ultimately granted clemency to Golsteyn and Lorance, and elevated Gallagher in rank. Gallagher had been acquitted of charges in a controversial case.
In recent weeks, Trump’s party has coalesced around the Hegseth pick.
The last nominee who was defeated was former senator John Tower, also a nominee to be secretary of defense, in 1989. Tower was investigated over claims of drunkenness and inappropriate behaviour with women.
This week’s hearings
Confirmation hearing dates have not been established for nominees Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (health and human services secretary), Tulsi Gabbard (director of national intelligence), Kash Patel (FBI director), Howard Lutnik (commerce) and Elise Stefanik (ambassador to the United Nations).
Hearings will take place this week, conducted by various congressional committees, as follows:
- Pam Bondi, attorney general nominee, Wednesday.
- Sean Duffy, transportation secretary nominee, Wednesday.
- Kristi Noem, Homeland Security secretary nominee, Wednesday.
- John Ratcliffe, CIA director nominee, Wednesday.
- Marco Rubio, secretary of state nominee, Wednesday.
- Chris Wright, energy secretary nominee, Wednesday.
- Scott Bessent, Treasury secretary nominee, Thursday.
- Doug Burgum, secretary of the interior nominee, Thursday.
- Scott Turner, housing and urban development secretary nominee, Thursday.
- Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency administrator nominee, Thursday.
