Donald Trump's Pentagon Nominee Pete Hegseth Grilled Over Drinking, Gender Issues, And Inexperience

(MENAFN- Live Mint) US President-elect Donald Trump's choice for the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, confronted allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking, and questions about his derisive views of women in combat during a heated Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday.

Hegseth is one of the most controversial figures ever nominated to be Secretary of Defense and any vote to confirm him is expected to be very close.

According to Reuters, Hegseth endured fierce Democratic grilling over everything - from his inexperience, alleged drinking and his past opposition to women in combat - as senators determine whether the combat veteran and former TV news show host is fit to lead the US military.

Hegseth repeatedly deflected the various misconduct allegations and, instead, focused on his own military experience in the Army National Guard.

“It's time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm. A change agent,” Hegseth was quoted by the Associated Press as saying in his opening remarks.

Hegseth dismissed sexual assault allegation as a“smear campaign. He vowed not to drink alcohol if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. But pressed about his marital infidelity, Hegseth acknowledged,“I am not a perfect person.”

He, however, weathered the four-hour hearing without making any major gaffe that might have alienated Republicans and even won critical backing from Republican Senator Joni Ernst, who holds

Asked if he would fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General CQ Brown, if he takes over the military, Hegseth declined to rule it out, saying he would be carrying out a broad review.

"Every single senior officer will be reviewed based on meritocracy, standards, lethality and commitment to lawful orders they will be given," Hegseth said.

Hegseth strongly opposed women in combat roles but walked back that stance during the hearing. "Mr. Hegseth, I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job," said Senator Jack Reed, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

A number of episodes sparked concern, including a 2017 sexual assault allegation against Hegseth that did not result in charges and which he denies.

Hegseth was also accused of excessive drinking and financial mismanagement at veterans' organizations vowed to abstain from alcohol if confirmed and said he made financial errors but denied wrongdoing.

Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand slammed Hegseth's past remarks about women, saying he would have to fundamentally change how he sees women who constitute 18% of the US military.

"We have hundreds - HUNDREDS - of women who serve in the infantry, lethal members of our military ... But you degrade them," Gillibrand said in a heated exchange.“Please explain these types of statements because they're brutal, and they're mean,” she added.

Despite strong support from Trump's Republicans, Hegseth's confirmation will likely be by a narrow margin, compared with the 93-2 vote for President Joe Biden's defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, and 98-1 for Jim Mattis, Trump's first nominee for the position.

After the hearing, Ernst, who pundits speculated could vote against Hegseth and perhaps convince others to do the same, said she supported Hegseth.

"Our next commander in chief selected Pete Hegseth to serve in this role, and after our conversations, hearing from Iowans, and doing my job as a United States Senator, I will support President Trump's pick for Secretary of Defense," Ernst said in a statement.

Senator Roger Wicker, the Republican who leads the committee, endorsed Hegseth, calling him "unconventional," and adding, "Regarding his personal conduct, Mr. Hegseth has admitted to falling short, as we all do from time to time."

Republican senators, including Markwayne Mullin and Tim Sheehy, strongly backed Hegseth. Mullin dismissed concerns about him, particularly his personal life, as political theater.

"It's all for show," Mullin said.

In recent weeks, Trump's party has coalesced around his pick.

Still, the slim Republican Senate majority means that Hegseth can lose support from no more than three senators to be confirmed, if Democrats and independents unite against him.

Cabinet nominees almost never lose Senate votes. The last nominee who was defeated was former Senator John Tower, a nominee to be Secretary of Defense, in 1989. Tower was investigated over claims of drunkenness and inappropriate behavior with women.

If confirmed, Hegseth could make good on Trump's promises to rid the military of generals he accuses of pursuing progressive diversity policies.

The next secretary of defense faces huge challenges, including active conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza and the expansion of China's military, which received only glancing attention during a hearing focused far more on culture war issues.

MENAFN15012025007365015876ID1109091954