Donald Trump’s controversial pick to lead the Pentagon was poised to be confirmed by the US Senate, after winning support from key Republicans following a tough hearing in which he claimed he was victimized of a “smear campaign” aimed at preventing him from accepting this position.
Pete Hegseth faced a sometimes hostile Senate committee Tuesday as he tried to fend off allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse that have dogged the former Fox News host since Trump nominated him as defense secretary .
But after the debates, Sen. Joni Ernst — seen as a possible holdout — said she would support Hegseth’s nomination, while ensuring he gets the green light from the powerful House Armed Services Committee and paving the way for his confirmation by the full Senate.
“After four years of weakness in the White House, Americans deserve a strong Secretary of Defense,” Ernst said in a statement, adding that she would support Hegseth to lead the department.
Hegseth used the four-hour hearing to ridicule “left-wing media” and “anonymous sources” for what he called an organized effort to prevent him from joining the next president’s administration.
“There has been a coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media. . . most of it was about President Donald Trump, who had to endure the exact same thing,” Hegseth said. He later said he had been “thoroughly investigated and completely exonerated”, calling the allegations “false accusations”.
He also dismissed reports that he was drunk at work, including on Fox News, calling them “anonymous fake news peddled by MSNBC.”
The hearing offered a first taste of the fireworks expected as many of Trump’s controversial governing nominees appear before the Senatewho must vote to approve them.
The former soldier, who wore a blue suit adorned with a pocket square with the American flag, entered the room to a standing ovation from spectators and chants of “USA, USA, USA.”
“You’ve got them, Petey,” someone shouted from the rows filled with men wearing black “for Hegseth” caps as the candidate entered. Four people were kicked out of the courtroom during Hegseth’s opening statement, most of them shouting about the war in Gaza.
Several other Trump Cabinet nominees, including controversial picks such as vaccine skeptic Robert F Kennedy Jr to lead the Health Department and Tulsi Gabbard to become director of national intelligence, are expected to appear in the upper house of Congress in the weeks to come.
Hegseth was expected to face a difficult path to confirmation, but Republican senators, who control the powerful House Armed Services Committee, appeared ready to give the former soldier the green light, preparing him thus to a vote by the entire Senate.
Republicans also hold a majority in the Senate, making the committee stage the biggest hurdle.
Washington was watching for Ernst’s reaction, given that she had previously expressed concerns about Hegseth’s positions on women combatants and sexual assault in the military.
During the proceedings, she told Hegseth that she wanted to ensure that every woman had the opportunity to serve her country “and to do so at any level.”
Hegseth responded that women “would have access to ground combat roles, given that standards remain high”, and pledged to appoint a senior official dedicated to preventing and responding to sexual assault.
Hegseth served in the Army National Guard, but most recently was a host on Fox News, where he became known for speaking out against “wokeness” in the military and initiatives on diversity, equity and inclusion. DEI policies in the military were “dividing the troops” and forcing “commanders to walk on eggshells,” Hegseth said at the hearing.
“Awakening doesn’t come from the uniform. . . but from the political class,” he said, adding that the troops would “welcome” a change in policy.
The conservative conservative was called out for writing that women were less effective than men in combat roles and had heated exchanges with Democratic senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren on the issue.
“When I talk about this issue, it’s not about the capabilities of men and women. These are standards” that have been “eroded,” Hegseth said.
“I do not believe you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this position,” Sen. Jack Reed, the committee’s top Democrat, told Hegseth. “You lack the character and composure to hold this position.”
Reed said the hearing “confirmed” his fears about Hegseth, saying he “was the least qualified candidate for secretary of defense in modern history.”
Hegseth’s shock choice for the Pentagon’s top job initially alarmed some congressional lawmakers, including Republicans, and prompted Trump to briefly consider alternatives.
“Pete Hegseth will make a GREAT Secretary of Defense. He has my Complete and Total support. Good luck today, Pete! » Trump posted on his Truth Social platform ahead of the confirmation hearing.
Trump-appointed national security adviser Mike Waltz introduced Hegseth at the hearing and urged senators to confirm him.
“Certainly, this appointment is not conventional,” conceded the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Roger Wicker. But he called Hegseth an “excellent choice” and compared the candidate to Trump.
