Trump Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth faces Senate confirmation hearing Politics News

U.S. senators will question Republican-backed Hegseth over his past controversial statements and controversies.

Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, who was tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Pentagon, will be grilled by lawmakers during his Senate confirmation hearing.

“Culture wars” issues, including diversity in the military, are expected to take center stage in Tuesday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing focusing on one of the most controversial names in the U.S. defense secretary nomination.

Hegseth's service in the Army National Guard is widely seen as an advantage for the job, and he has the support of Trump and Republicans.

But the 44-year-old has also been criticized for his past record of statements and actions, including sexual assault allegations that he vehemently denies, alcoholism and derisive views of women, minorities and “woke” generals in military combat roles.

Hegseth is one of the most dangerous of Trump's Cabinet nominees, but Republicans are determined to make him a celebrity for the way the president-elect governs. Trump will be inaugurated on Monday.

“He's going to be torn. He's going to be demeaned. He's going to be the talk of the town,” Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville said at an event featuring former Army and Navy Special Forces and Marines supporting the nominee. Said on reaching Hegseth.

“But we're going to get him across the finish line.”

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a member of the Armed Services Committee, described Hegseth as “someone who got extremely drunk at work events and had to be carried out on multiple occasions.”

“Can we really expect to call Hegseth at 2 a.m. to make life-or-death national security decisions? No,” she said on X.

Hegseth can only withstand three Republican vetoes, but he would still be confirmed if every Democrat and independent voted against him.

During the hearing, Hegseth will have to respond to his remarks that women should not “directly” serve in combat roles in the military, but he has softened that view after recent meetings with senators.

Two former female veterans — Republican Joni Ernst of Iowa and Democrat Tammy Duckworth of Illinois — will both challenge him.

“He can try to walk back his comments about women in combat all he wants, but we know what he's thinking, right?” Duckworth was an Iraq War veteran who was in the Army National Guard when the Black Hawk helicopter she was flying was shot down. Lost both legs and part of his right arm.

“He is the most unqualified nominee ever to be secretary of defense.”

Cabinet nominees almost never lose Senate votes because they are usually withdrawn if they appear to be in trouble.

The last nominee to lose was former Sen. John Tower, also a nominee for defense secretary, in 1989. Tarr was investigated for alcoholism and allegations of inappropriate behavior with women.