Trump’s Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth is close to being confirmed by the US Senate after a tough hearing

Pete Hegseth He faced a sometimes hostile Senate committee Tuesday as he tried to refute accusations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse that have dogged the former Fox News host since Trump nominated him to be defense secretary.

But after the proceedings, Senator Joni Ernst — considered a potential opponent — said she would support Hegseth’s nomination, ensuring he receives approval from the House’s powerful 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 run the department.

Hegseth used the four-hour hearing to mock “left-wing media” and “anonymous sources” for what he said was an organized effort to prevent him from joining the next president’s administration.

“There has been a massive, coordinated smear campaign in the media. . . “Most of it had to do with President Donald Trump, who had to endure the same thing,” Hegseth said. He later said that he was “fully investigated and fully exonerated,” describing the allegations as “false accusations.”

He also denied reports that he was drunk at work, including on Fox News, calling them “false, anonymous reports peddled by MSNBC.”

The hearing provided the first taste of the fireworks expected as several of Trump’s controversial Cabinet nominees come before the court Senatewhich must be voted on to approve.

The former soldier, wearing a blue suit decorated with an American flag pocket square, entered the room to loud applause from onlookers and chants of “USA, USA.”

“You got them, Betty,” someone shouted from rows full of men wearing black “For Hegseth” hats as the candidate entered. Four people were escorted from the hearing room 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 run the Health Department and Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence, are scheduled to appear in the upper chamber of Congress in the coming weeks.

Hegseth was expected to face a tough road to confirmation, but Republican senators, who control the House’s powerful Armed Services Committee, appear ready to give the former soldier the nod, setting him up for a vote by the full Senate.

Republicans also hold a majority in the Senate, making committee formation the most important hurdle.

Washington has been watching Ernst’s reaction, given that she had previously expressed concerns about Hegseth’s positions on women in combat roles and sexual assault in the military.

During the proceedings, she told Hegseth she wants to make sure every woman has the opportunity to serve her country “and to do so at any level.”

Hegseth responded that women “will have access to ground combat roles, given that standards remain high,” and committed to appointing a senior official dedicated to preventing and responding to sexual assaults.

Hegseth served in the Army National Guard, but most recently was a host on Fox News, where he became known for denouncing “wokeism” in the military and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Hegseth said at the hearing that the Army’s DEI policies were “dividing the forces” and forcing “commanders to walk on eggshells.”

“The vigilance does not come from the uniform… but from the political class,” he said, adding that the troops would “rejoice” at the policy change.

This conservative was subjected to severe criticism for writing that women are less effective than men in combat roles, and she entered into heated debates with Democratic Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren over this issue.

“When I talk about this issue, it’s not about the capabilities of men and women. It’s about standards” that have “eroded,” Hegseth said.

“I don’t think you’re qualified to meet the enormous demands of this job,” Senator Jack Reed, the committee’s top Democrat, told Hegseth. “You lack the character and composure for this position.”

Reed said the hearing “confirmed” his concerns about Hegseth, saying he is “the least qualified candidate for Secretary of Defense in modern history.”

Hegseth’s surprise selection for the Pentagon post initially alarmed some lawmakers in Congress, including Republicans, and prompted Trump to briefly consider alternatives.

“Pete Hegseth will be a great Secretary of Defense. He has my full and complete support. Good luck today, Pete!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform ahead of his confirmation hearing.

Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, introduced Hegseth at the hearing and urged senators to confirm him.

“Admittedly, this nomination is unconventional,” admitted Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. But he called Hegseth an “excellent choice” and likened the candidate to Trump.