Pete Hegseth: US senators grill Trump’s candidate for the Pentagon

Heated hearing in the US Senate: Former National Guardsman Pete Hegseth, nominated by Donald Trump to head the Pentagon, answered questions from senators on Tuesday and defended himself against numerous allegations. The 44-year-old Republican said in the hearing, which lasted several hours, that there was a “coordinated smear campaign” against him. Democratic senators said he was unfit for office.

“When President Trump selected me for this position, he gave me my primary responsibility to bring the warrior culture back to the Department of Defense,” Hegseth said. Like Trump, he wants a Department of Defense “that focuses on lethality, performance principle, warfare, accountability and readiness,” said the former Fox News host.

Hegseth is one of Trump’s most controversial Cabinet nominations, who begins his second term as US President on January 20th. Among other things, the 44-year-old is accused of having too little experience to be able to head a military administration with 3.4 million soldiers and civilian employees and an annual budget of more than 850 billion dollars (806.6 billion euros).

At the hearing, Hegseth stood by his opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion measures in the Army, saying they would divide units and “cause commanders to do an egg dance instead of putting merit first.”

At the same time, he toned down previous statements about the use of women in combat – something he had rejected in November 2024. “I respect every single female member of the Army who has worn the uniform, past and present,” Hegseth said. His criticism related to cases in which he noticed a lowering of standards. “Women will have access to ground combat and combat operations provided standards remain high,” he said.

In addition to a lack of experience, Hegseth is also accused of alcohol abuse and sexual violence against a woman in 2017. According to information from the Washington Post, Hegseth paid an undisclosed amount to the woman to prevent a lawsuit and a trial. He is also criticized for his tattoos with symbols and slogans from the Middle Ages, which are often used by white racists and neo-Nazis.

Democratic Senator Jack Reed denied Hegseth’s suitability to lead the Pentagon. “Mr. Hegseth, I do not believe you are qualified to handle the overwhelming demands of this job,” Reed said. Numerous sources link him to “disregard for the laws of war, financial mismanagement, racist and sexist comments about men and women in uniform, alcohol abuse and sexual assault,” Reed said.

The 44-year-old then spoke of a “coordinated smear campaign” and said: “I am not a perfect person.” But God has forgiven him. When asked about the incident in 2017, he spoke of “false accusations.”

Hegseth’s questioning on Tuesday morning was the start of the hearings of Trump’s nominees for ministerial positions and other important positions in the government apparatus. In addition to Hegseth, Trump has nominated several other controversial candidates, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary and Tulsi Gabbard as intelligence coordinator.

The approval of the Senate is required for a candidate nominated by the President to take office. After the election on November 5th, Trump’s Republicans are once again in the majority in the Chamber of Congress, but just a few dissidents in their own ranks can prevent confirmation. It could take weeks or even months until all cabinet members are in office.