Future US government: Trump’s Pentagon candidate secures important support

Donald Trump’s controversial preferred candidate for the head of the US Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has secured important support for the necessary confirmation as minister after a hearing in the Senate. Senator Joni Ernst, who was considered a critic among Republicans, announced after the meeting that she would support the nomination, as several US journalists reported. Due to the narrow majority in the Senate, even a small number of dissenters in the vote in the Parliamentary Chamber could deprive the former TV presenter Hegseth of the office he was hoping for.

The Republican Ernst had extracted public promises from the candidate at the Defense Committee meeting, but was conspicuously reserved with sharp questions. Democrats confronted him about his private past and questions about his lack of qualifications for the high-profile job.

Although Hegseth came under increasing pressure after his nomination, Trump always stuck by him. Following the meeting, the future president’s team distributed a collection of quotes with praise from Republican senators about Hegseth.

No political experience

The previous Fox News presenter has no political experience apart from an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the US Senate for Minnesota, but is expected to head one of the most important ministries in the US, the Pentagon. As defense minister, the former soldier would be responsible for the most powerful military in the world, 3.5 million military and civilian employees, a budget of around $800 billion, as well as armaments projects and major security policy decisions.

Support the Republicans, reject the Democrats

Hegseth presented himself in the Senate as an innovator. He described allegations against him as a smear campaign aimed at torpedoing his career. Hegseth himself admitted that he was not a perfect person.

Republican committee chairman Roger Wicker agreed. “He will breathe a new warrior ethos into the Pentagon, a spirit that can permeate from top to bottom.”

Democrat Jack Reed said a defense secretary needs unparalleled experience, wisdom and character. He must be trustworthy and non-partisan. He called reports of alleged racist and sexist statements by Hegseth, alcohol abuse and sexual assaults “extremely alarming.” His conclusion: “Mr. Hegseth, I don’t think you are qualified to meet the requirements for this task.”

Even a few deviations would be a problem

Since his nomination was announced a few days after Trump’s election victory, a number of allegations against Hegseth have come to light. The 44-year-old firmly denied the allegations and subsequently held intensive discussions with senators to secure the necessary support for his confirmation.

Because of her initially critical attitude towards Hegseth, Joni Ernst was particularly in focus. In the hearing she said that she and Hegseth had had “very open discussions”. In response to their questions, he promised, among other things, that there would be a high-ranking person under him at the Pentagon who would be responsible for preventing sexual assaults and responding to possible crimes of this kind. There will also be no change to the rights and opportunities of women in the military or to the standards they must meet for combat missions.

Non-answer and gap in knowledge

Hegseth avoided sensitive questions. Democrat Mazie Hirono asked him whether he would follow an order from Trump to use military force to conquer Greenland or take control of the Panama Canal. Hegseth started talking about the millions of votes that Trump received in the election. When Hirono insisted, Hegseth said he would never respond, one way or the other, in a public forum like this.

Democrat Tammy Duckworth exposed Hegseth’s lack of knowledge when she asked him about the Southeast Asian community of states Asean. Hegseth could not name the number of member countries – and then spoke of the allies in South Korea and Japan, both of which are not members of Asean.

The fact that Trump has so far stuck to Hegseth despite all concerns and criticism could also have something to do with the fact that he has already lost another preferred candidate for his cabinet: Matt Gaetz, whom he wanted to install as Minister of Justice, withdrew after controversy surrounding his behavior and because of it lack of support.

Alternative candidate Pam Bondi, who is considered Trump’s confidant, has a hearing in the Senate today. In addition to her, six other candidates are being interviewed, including Marco Rubio, who is to become Secretary of State, and John Ratcliffe, to whom Trump wants to entrust the CIA foreign intelligence agency.