Slotkin and Peters Grill Pete Hegseth at Senate Hearing for Pentagon Nominee

Detroit: So, there was this Senate hearing on Tuesday where Senator Elissa Slotkin really put Pete Hegseth on the spot. She asked him if he would refuse any illegal orders if he becomes the Defense Secretary. It was a pretty intense moment, especially since she pointed out that he could be the one to carry out orders from President Trump, should they ever be unlawful.

Hegseth, who used to be a Fox News commentator and served in the Army National Guard, didn’t really want to say Trump would give illegal orders. But he did say he’d follow the law. He kept saying everything would be lawful and under the Constitution, which is a bit of a standard answer, right?

Slotkin also brought up Mark Esper, a former Defense Secretary, who apologized for using military force against peaceful protesters back in 2020. She asked Hegseth if he thought that was the right move. He didn’t really answer that one either.

Then, they got into the topic of using military forces domestically. Hegseth was pretty vague when asked if he’d use the military for law enforcement if Trump ordered it. He did mention that he thinks help is needed at the border, though.

Senator Gary Peters also jumped in, questioning Hegseth’s experience. He pointed out that Hegseth has only managed small teams, not the massive Defense Department. Peters made a good point, saying no board would hire someone with Hegseth’s background for such a big job.

Throughout the hearing, Hegseth faced questions about his past, including claims of misconduct and his views on women in the military. He tried to brush those off, saying he supports women serving as long as they meet the same standards as men.

The committee is set to vote on his nomination soon, and with Republicans in charge, he might just get confirmed, but there are still some doubts hanging around.