P.Ete Hegseth was criticized by senators from both parties who were considering her nomination to head the Department of Defense because of her past comments about women serving in the military, placing the first of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks on the defensive.
Hegseth has faced a series of controversies in recent weeks, including feminization, sexual misconduct, inappropriate alcohol consumption and allegations of financial mismanagement. During a contentious hearing Tuesday, he clarified his past comments and told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he would work to eliminate “wokeness” within the military, promising to “restore the warrior ethos at the Pentagon.
While Hegseth tried to project confidence and clarity about his vision for the U.S. military, some of the most pointed questions came from his own party. One of the skeptical Republicans was Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, whose vote on the Armed Services Committee could well decide the fate of Hegseth, a 44-year-old former Fox News host and Guard veteran national. Ernst, a former National Guard commander and sexual assault survivor, expressed concerns about Hegseth’s leadership experience and her past comments about women in combat.
In an exchange with Ernst, Hegseth appeared to walk back her previous stance against women serving in combat roles — a stance that has already provoked backlash within and outside the military. He was pressed by Ernst and several Democratic committee members on those comments, which he said were “misinterpreted.”
Hegseth wrote in her 2024 book that women are meant to be “life-givers” and should not serve in combat roles. “Dads push us to take risks. Moms put training wheels on our bikes. We need mothers. But not in the army, and even less in combat units,” he wrote. Currently, 18% of the military is made up of women. Asked by Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire whether he thinks the committee’s two women who served in the military — Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Ernst — have made the military less capable, Hegseth said. replied: “No, their contributions are essential. My comments aim to have the same standards across the board.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, a Democratic member of the committee, said his comments about women were “a stupid thing to say” and “below the job” of defense secretary. “You have to change the way you view women to do this job well, and I don’t know if you can,” she said. Later, Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren questioned his recent change of opinion on women in combat and asked how women can be sure he won’t reverse his opinion once confirmed. “I’ve heard of deathbed conversions, but this is the first time I’ve seen a nomination conversion,” she said.
Learn more: Pete Hegseth’s role in Trump’s controversial pardons of men accused of war crimes
Hegseth can only lose one Republican vote on the Senate Armed Services panel if all Democrats oppose him. If he reaches a vote in the full Senate, Hegseth can afford to lose no more than three Republican votes if all Democrats vote against him. Hegseth met with only one Democrat before the hearing: Sen. Jack Reed of Delaware, the committee’s top Democrat. Several Democrats criticized him for not scheduling meetings with them.
For many committee members, it wasn’t just Hegseth’s views on gender and military service that raised questions. Pass Personal allegations – including sexual assault, drinking on the job and claims by former colleagues that he mismanaged the veterans organizations he led – remained major concerns. Hegseth called the allegations a “coordinated smear campaign” and said the media “sought to destroy me…because I am an agent of change.” He previously admitted to paying an undisclosed sum to a woman who accused him of sexual assault at a Republican conference in 2017. No charges were ever filed against Hegseth in that incident. Pressed by Ernst, Hegseth said he would appoint a senior official dedicated to preventing sexual assault in the military.
“I’m not a perfect person,” Hegseth said. “But redemption is real.”
The hearing was also marked by intense scrutiny from Democrats over Hegseth’s qualifications to lead the Pentagon, particularly given his relative lack of experience running large bureaucratic organizations. Reed, the top Democrat on the committee that voted in favor of Trump’s picks for defense secretary in the president-elect’s first term, questioned Hegseth’s ability to oversee America’s massive military apparatus, adding that he had reviewed the allegations against Hegseth and concluded that the alleged conduct would “disqualify any service member from holding a leadership position in the military.” Other Democrats pointed out that his management experience pales in comparison to that of mid-level civilian managers at private-sector companies, let alone the head of one of the world’s largest institutions.
Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, then questioned Hegseth on military matters. At one point, she asked Hegseth to name a country that is part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a political and economic union of 10 states. He mentioned South Korea, Japan and Australia, none of which are part of ASEAN. “I suggest you do some homework,” she said.
In response to concerns about his qualifications, Hegseth highlighted his military service, his leadership in the National Guard, and his work within veterans’ organizations, while also emphasizing his role as a critic of the military establishment and an advocate for the reform.
Learn more: ‘Unqualified’ and ‘out of touch’: Combat veteran Tammy Duckworth explains why she opposes Pete Hegseth’s nomination
“It is true that I do not have a biography similar to that of the defense secretaries of the last 30 years,” Hegseth said in his opening statement. “But, as President Trump also told me, we have repeatedly placed people at the top of the Pentagon with so-called ‘the right qualifications’ – whether retired generals, academics or defense company executives – and where has that led us?
“It’s time to hand over the helm to someone who has dust on their boots,” he added. “An agent of change. Someone who has no vested interest in certain companies, specific programs, or approved narratives.
If confirmed, Hegseth would oversee more than 3 million military and civilian personnel worldwide, the U.S. nuclear arsenal and an annual budget of more than $800 billion. He would be expected to lead the country’s military as the United States faces threats from Russia, China, Iran and adversaries around the world.
Some members of the public also expressed opposition to Hegseth’s nomination on Tuesday. Four people, including one wearing a Vietnam veteran’s cap, were removed from the hearing in the first minutes of Hegseth’s opening statement. At least three were protesting Hegseth’s position on the Gaza war. Later, when asked by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas to address protesters and clarify his position on the war between Israel and Hamas, Hegseth said he supported “that Israel kills and destroys down to the last member of Hamas.”
Hegseth also addressed diversity and inclusion policies, arguing that they “divide” the troops and that the military should prioritize “meritocracy.”
Asked by Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, a Democratic member of the committee, whether he would use the military to take control of Greenland or the Panama Canal, as Trump has suggested he might do during a press conference on January 7. Hegseth responded that he would never lay hands on military projects in public.
It’s not yet clear whether Hegseth will get the support of all Republicans on the committee or in the upper chamber. Some Republican senators, including Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have been noncommittal about his nomination.
