Appointed by Donald Trump to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, former army major and Fox News presenter, was heard Tuesday by the Senate Armed Services Committee. This hearing, which lasted more than four hours, quickly turned into a verbal confrontation between the candidate and the Democratic senators, the latter denouncing his lack of experience and his numerous controversies.
From his introductory speech, Pete Hegseth said he wanted to “bring back the warrior culture” within the Pentagon, which he accuses of having become too “woke” and dominated by a progressive ideology. “Donald Trump, like me, wants a Pentagon focused on combat, lethality, meritocracy, principles and preparation. That’s it,” he said.
“Bringing back the warrior culture”
Democratic elected officials have increased attacks against him. “Mr. Hegseth, you are not qualified,” said Senator Tammy Duckworth. Senator Jack Reed, for his part, mentioned “extremely alarming” elements about his past, citing in particular “a disregard for the laws of war, financial mismanagement, racist and sexist remarks, as well as accusations of abuse of alcohol and sexual harassment.
In November, an old sexual assault accusation from 2017 in California resurfaced. Pete Hegseth has denied the allegations, saying he has never had a non-consensual relationship.
Accused of excessive alcohol
Senator Elizabeth Warren sharply criticized Pete Hegseth's behavior, saying he had been “so drunk at work events that he had to be carried out on several occasions.” “One of your colleagues said you were so drunk in a bar that you sang 'Kill all the Muslims,'” she added. Pete Hegseth rejected the accusations, denouncing “a handful of anonymous sources who were allowed to carry out a smear campaign.”
-Senators also pointed to his past opposition to the presence of women in combat troops. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called these statements “hurtful to the men and women enlisted, harmful to the morale and proper functioning of the armed forces”. Pete Hegseth tried to defend himself by claiming to respect military women, specifying that his criticisms were aimed at “a lowering of standards” within the army.
A vote still uncertain
The committee must now decide whether a new hearing will be necessary or whether it will vote directly to recommend or not the nomination of Pete Hegseth to the Senate, which will decide by a simple majority. A rejection would be a big blow for Donald Trump, who has already had to abandon his initial choice for the Department of Justice, Matt Gaetz. Despite the controversies, Donald Trump reiterated his support for Pete Hegseth in early December.
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Senate hearings will continue in the coming days, particularly for other controversial nominations such as those of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at Health and Kash Patel at the FBI. A rejection by the Senate, a rare event since 1989, would mark a serious setback for the new Trump administration.
