Pete Hegseth’s upcoming Senate hearing raises concerns over his qualifications and past behavior
He’s a 44-year-old Army vet and used to host a weekend show on Fox News. But, man, he’s been under fire from Democrats. They think his resume is pretty thin compared to past defense secretaries. Plus, there are some heavy allegations against him, like excessive drinking and even sexual assault, which he denies.
While some Republicans are backing him, others are still on the fence. President Trump is all in for Hegseth, saying he’s a “winner” on social media. As the hearing kicks off, folks will be watching how he plans to run the Defense Department, which has a massive budget and a ton of active-duty troops.
Democrats are likely to grill him on how he’d handle the department and represent the U.S. globally. They want to know if he’s really up for the job. Some Republicans think his different background could actually be a good thing, saying he might shake things up in a positive way.
Another hot topic? His past comments about women in combat. Two female veterans on the committee are expected to challenge him on that. They want to know if he’ll try to limit women’s roles in the military, which could affect recruitment.
Hegseth is also dealing with allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. Democrats are expected to press him hard on these issues. Some Republicans, like Sen. Ernst, who’s a sexual assault survivor, have had positive talks with him about addressing these concerns.
As for his chances of getting confirmed, he’ll likely have strong Republican support, but it all depends on how well he defends himself during the hearing. He can only afford to lose a few votes, so it’s going to be a tight race.
