The Latest: Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing adjourns after line of questioning from senators

Confirmation hearings for Donald Trump’s cabinet picks begin this week, starting with Trump’s choice for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. The hearing was held Tuesday with senators questioning whether the former combat veteran and TV news show host is fit to lead the U.S. military.

Related: Major takeaways from Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing

Here’s the latest:

‘I’m not a perfect person,’ Hegseth said during the hearing

During the confirmation hearing, Hegseth did not directly address the allegations of sexual misconduct and aggressively pushed back on Democrats who asked questions about it, calling it a “coordinated smear campaign.”

“I’m not a perfect person but redemption is real,” Hegseth said.

In 2017, a woman told police Hegseth sexually assaulted her, according to a detailed investigative report recently made public. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing and told police at the time that the encounter at a Republican women’s event in California was consensual. He was not charged, but paid the woman a confidential settlement to head off a potential lawsuit.

Asked by Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Democrat, if he had entered into a settlement, Hegseth replied that he was falsely accused. He has said repeatedly that he was “completely cleared.”

▶ Read more takeaways from the confirmation hearing

‘Equal standards’ for female troops

Hegseth made overtures to women and Black troops, an attempt to blunt some of the criticism of his previous comments that women should “straight up” not serve in combat and his suggestions that some Black troops may not be qualified.

“It would be the privilege of a lifetime, if confirmed, to be the secretary of defense for all men and women in uniform,” Hegseth said.

At the same time, he implied that the Pentagon had lowered standards for women to fight without giving examples of those standards. “The standards need to be the same and they need to be high,” Hegseth said, adding that where those standards have been eroded to meet diversity quotas, that should be under review.

He was also questioned about the issue by Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iraq veteran and a survivor of sexual assault. Hegseth reiterated an earlier promise to Ernst that he will to hire a senior official to prioritize those cases in the military.

During the hearing, Hegseth was also asked about proposed ‘warrior boards’

In a line of questioning with Democrat Elissa Slotkin before the hearing adjourned, Hegseth would not say whether Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown would be exempt from the “warrior boards” he seeks to institute to review and possibly fire senior officers he determines are unqualified.

“Every single senior officer will be reviewed,” Hegseth said.

The Senate confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth has adjourned

Hegseth turned to his wife and closely hugged her after the hearing ended. He was embraced by other allies, incoming Trump officials and family who surrounded him in the hearing room after proceedings ended.

A new poll looks at how Americans feel about not having government experience

As questions are raised about Hegseth’s experience, a new AP-NORC poll finds that a lack of government experience isn’t a positive for many Americans.

About half of Americans say it’s a “very” or “somewhat” bad thing for the president to rely on people without any background in government for advice about government policy, and only about one-quarter say it’s a “very” or “somewhat” good thing. About one-quarter are neutral, calling it neither good nor bad.

Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt criticized ‘race essentialism’ in the military

In a Senate committee hearing filled with discussion over the military’s policies around diversity and whether merit was properly being focused, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., lambasted so-called DEI initiatives in the armed services, which he called “race essentialism.”

And he said the November election showed Americans were rejecting such diversity and inclusion efforts in the institutions across American life.

“You have to tear out DEI and CRT initiatives root and branch from institutions” Hegseth said, to which Schmitt replied “100 percent.”

Recruitment and retention of troops is top of mind for senators throughout Hegseth’s hearing

Sen. Jackie Rosen pressed Hegseth on whether he’d support veterans receiving certain benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs after their service, some provisions of which Hegseth had previously critiqued. Should he be confirmed, Hegseth would lead the Defense Department, which does not manage the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“They commit suicide because they hit the brick wall of the bureaucracy of the VA,” Hegseth told the Nevada Democrat.

“Your answers to these, they are too broad,” Rosen replied when he did not answer the question.

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville told Hegseth he was concerned that diversity initiatives had kept some people, especially young men, from the armed services.

“I had a young man that forever he wanted to go to West Point. I got him a nomination. I got him accepted and he turned it down. He says, ‘Coach, I’m not getting involved with that mess,’” Tuberville said.

Republican Sen. MarkWayne Mullin defended Hegseth on the question of standards

The question of whether Hegseth’s nomination would be a lowering of standards brought an aggressive response from Oklahoma Republican Sen. MarkWayne Mullin.

“I Googled it,” Mullin said. “In general the U.S. Secretary of Defense position is filled by a civilian. And that’s it.”

Mullin then went around the room challenging the other senators about how many of them have consumed or seen others consume alcohol during evening votes or gotten a divorce for cheating.

“Did you ask them to step down?” Mullin said. “No, because it’s for show.”

Some senators said confirming Hegseth would mean lowering standards for the position

Multiple senators noted that while Hegseth has railed on allegations that standards have been lowered for women in combat, they said Hegseth’s nomination would mark a lowering of standards for the position of Secretary of Defense.

Michigan Democrat Gary Peters asked Hegseth what was the highest number of people he’d managed in his military or civilian positions. The highest number was about several hundred when Hegseth was a company commander.

“Do you think that the way to raise the minimum standards of the people who serve us is to lower the standards of the Secretary of Defense?” Peters asked.

Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth also asked that, saying “how can we ask these soldiers to train and perform as the absolute highest standards when you are asking us to lower the standards to make you secretary of defense?”

Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth questioned Hegseth on his knowledge of geopolitics

And she questioned Hegseth’s experience in global affairs and whether he had ever conducted an audit of his non-profits in a manner similar to the audit he intends to carry out at the Pentagon.

Hegseth said his leadership of the charities had been “mischaracterized” but did not answer Duckworth’s question. Flanked by a portrait of the Soldier’s Creed by which all army service members are expected to live, Duckworth told Hegseth troops “cannot be led by someone who is not competent,” directing her critique at President-elect Donald Trump’s pick.

A comment from Sen. Roger Wicker drew applause

The packed audience broke out into brief applause after the committee chairman, Sen. Roger Wicker told Hegseth “it seems to me that you’ve supervised far more people than the average United States senator.”

The Mississippi Republican’s comments came after Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., inquired why senators should support him despite him not ever leading an organization of comparable size to the military.

An exchange between Hegseth and Sen. Elizabeth Warren drew laughter from the audience

Warren, a Democrat, asked Hegseth whether he’d commit to not serving in the defense industry for ten years after his service should he become defense secretary. Hegseth said he had not given the issue any thought.

“You are quite sure every general who serves should not go directly into the defense industry for 10 years but you’re not willing to make that same pledge?” Warren asked.

“I’m not a general, senator,” Hegseth replied.

Both Hegseth and Warren have said generals and other high-ranking officials should not be allowed to work for private defense contractors for at least a decade after their service in the armed forces.

The military’s prioritization of weeding out extremism was misplaced, Hegseth says

He cited a report that around 100 people were identified as extremists in the military, a number he considered small and said were “mostly gang related.”

“Things like focusing on extremism, senator, have created a climate inside our military that feel political when it has hasn’t ever been political,” Hegseth said.

“Those are the types of things that are going to change,” he promised. He added that Trump’s broader strategy and personality would help ease recruitment challenges the military has faced in recent years.

“There’s no better recruiter for our military, in my mind, than President Donald Trump,” Hegseth said.

He promised the administration would be “getting anything that isn’t related to meritocracy” out of the military, multiple times claiming lawmakers and higher level military officials have been “injecting DEI” that “divides” the armed services. He argued that the Pentagon should instead focus on “how capable you are of doing your job.”

Hegseth was questioned about his tattoos

North Dakota Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer asked about Hegseth’s tattoos, which have come under question for their association and use by White Nationalist groups.

However Cramer did not focus on the “Deus Vult” tattoo that got Hegseth flagged as a potential “insider threat.” Instead Cramer focused on the Jerusalem Cross — which was not flagged and was not the reason Hegseth was pulled from duty.

Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan defended Hegseth

And the Alaska senator called it “a ridiculous narrative” that the military has a serious problem with extremism or is “systemically racist.”

Sullivan called the Biden administration’s declarations early in the administration that they would prioritize curbing extremism a “shameful” smear of the armed services. The Biden administration focused on curbing white nationalist recruitment of service members and veterans.

Hegseth added in an exchange that the military is “one of the least racist institutions in our country” to which Sullivan replied it is “one of the greatest civil rights organizations in the United States.” The federal government integrated the military years before the Civil Rights Act.

Hegseth had a less combative exchange with Republican Sen. Joni Ernst

Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, a military veteran and sexual assault survivor, ended up being far less combative in her exchange with Hegseth.

Ernst was cordial with Hegseth and focused primarily on the Department of Defense passing a financial audit.

Ernst is one of the three critical votes Hegseth cannot afford to lose in his confirmation.

Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono engaged in a tense exchange with Hegseth

It was over news reports that he had drank on the job while employed at Fox News and elsewhere.

Hirono directly asked Hegseth if he would commit to not drinking while in service, which she called “a 24/7 job,” and after a tense back and forth she concluded he would not.

Hirono also asked him whether he’d follow orders from Donald Trump to invade Greenland, which is controlled by NATO-ally Denmark, occupy the Panama Canal or shoot protestors of the incoming administration in the leg. Hegseth cited the election and a need for strategic ambiguity as reasons he could not answer the questions. Hirono concluded that he would follow such commands.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal inquired into the tax returns of two veterans support non-profits

The Democratic senator noted that Hegseth had been pushed out of one non-profit due to dissatisfaction from donors, to which Hegseth replied that he spent the interceding time obtaining a degree from the Harvard Kennedy School.

At one organization Hegseth led from 2011 to 2016, Blumenthal noted that during several years of his management the organization “had deep debts including credit card transaction debts of about 75,000. That isn’t the kind of fiscal management we want at the Department of Defense.”

Blumenthal told Hegseth he would support him for a communications job but not to lead the Defense Department.

“I would support you as a spokesperson to the Pentagon,” Blumenthal said. “I don’t dispute your communication skills.”

Hegseth has made accusations that standards have been lowered to allow women in combat

And he continued to tout those claims even as senior female lawmakers who’ve served on the committee for years, including Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, asked him for one specific example of standards being changed for women.

Hegseth did not provide one, instead deferring to interviews he’d conducted for his book “War on Warriors,” that it was what he was told by troops.

A senior defense official said “the standards for military service have not been lowered,” and that the standards are based on each field and based on ability, not gender.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Kirsten Gillibrand hammered Hegseth over his views on women in combat

Shaheen noted that Hegseth has said publicly: “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles.” But has since then said more generally he supports women in the military.

“Which is it?” Shaheen demanded, adding, “I appreciate your 11th hour conversion.”

She submitted for the record a chapter of his book that outlines his opposition to women in combat. She also asked whether that meant he did not think the two female senators who served in the military are less capable.

Gillibrand told Hegseth his quotes about women are terrible and harmful to morale.

“You will have to change how you see women to do this job,” she said.

Hegseth faces a Senate committee that includes several women

As Pete Hegseth’s stance on the role of women in the military comes under questioning by both Democratic and Republican senators, he faces a committee with several women combat and foreign policy leaders.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who’s a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, has been an advocate for women in the military and women’s rights globally. Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, are both combat veterans who sit on the committee.

Freshman Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., served in the intelligence community. And a narrow majority of the Senate Armed Services Committee are women, including a majority of its Democratic members.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen asked multiple questions about Hegseth’s stances on women in the military

Just after her questions, committee chair Sen. Roger Wicker motioned to introduce five testimonials from women who had served in the military in support of Hegseth’s nomination.

Hegseth was combative in the face of questions from Democrat Ranking Member Reed

Hegseth often talked past Reed’s questions and refused to defer to the senior member as he tried to get his questions answered.

In one particular exchange, Hegseth scoffed as Reed asked him to explain what a “JAG Off” was — responding to Reed that “I don’t think I need to” because troops knew what it was. Only after further pressure from Reed did Hegseth say it was a military lawyer who “put their own priorities in front of the warfighters.”

Would Hegseth be the first defense secretary who’s been on the font lines in combat?

The argument that Hegseth would be the first door-kicker or service member to serve on the front lines in combat to become defense secretary has continued to evolve and become far more specific.

An array of previous secretaries have had combat service, dodging bombs and leading troops into the fight, including current Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin who led the invasion into Iraq.

On Tuesday, the assertion was whittled down to Hegseth being the first “to have served as a junior officer on the front lines, not in the headquarters, on the front lines in the War on Terror.”

It’s not clear how “junior” an officer they had to be.

Lt. Col. Jim Mattis fought in the Gulf War — he later retired as a four-star general and was Trump’s first defense secretary. And Trump’s final acting Pentagon chief, Chris Miller, served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army special forces officer. He later retired as a colonel.

Chuck Hagel was a first: the first former enlisted soldier to become defense secretary, and he served as a sergeant on the front lines in Vietnam.

Sen. Reed pressed Hegseth on his opposition to diversity initiatives in the military

Ranking member Sen. Jack Reed, Democrat, noted that the military was a forerunner in American society on racial integration efforts and other inclusive standards.

Hegseth said that it was “precisely right the military was a forerunner in courageous racial integration in ways no other institutions were willing to do” but argued that modern diversity and inclusion policies “divide” current troops and didn’t prioritize “meritocracy.”

Reed replied that Hegseth’s statements were “a political view” that he repeated in harsher terms without mentioning meritocracy in past statements.

Reed said Hegseth’s intention was to “politicize the military in favor of your particular position” and would harm “the professionalism of the United States military.”

Sen. Wicker denies request to release FBI report to the full committee

While Reed and Wicker were maintaining a bipartisan tone, Wicker denied Reed’s requests to release the FBI report to the fuller committee and denied a request to allow members a second round of questioning.

Ranking member Jack Reed called the FBI investigation ‘insufficient’

“There are still FBI obligations to talk to people. They have not had access to the forensic audit” of Hegseth’s time at the head of a veteran’s advocacy group where he is facing questions of financial mismanagement, the Democrat said.

Hegseth criticizes the accusations made against him

Hegseth called the accusations of drinking and womanizing he would face from “left wing media” on “second and third hand accounts” a “coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media against us.” Hegseth said the attacks were about Trump, not him.

He did not specifically address any of the accusations and did not tell Chairman Wicker that he did not drink or womanize.

Several more protestors jumped out from the audience

Wearing camouflage fatigues, the protestors stood on their chairs and began condemning Hegseth throughout his opening remarks. Each was swiftly dragged out from the hearing by Capitol Police.

One woman jumped up and yelled that her veteran father “had committed suicide after his service and you’re sending money to bomb babies...every veteran in here needs to speak up” she screamed as she was ushered out of the room. Another yelled that Hegseth supported “murdering babies...that’s the real recruiting crisis” he screamed as three officers carried him by his arms and legs out.

Several other people were approached by police and directed out of the room without any clear coercion.

More from Hegseth’s opening remarks

Hegseth in his opening remarks Tuesday said “officers and enlisted, Black and white, young and old, men and women, all Americans, all warriors -- this hearing is for you. Thank you for figuratively, and literally, having my back. I pledge to do the same for you. All of you.”

Hegseth struck a far different tone in his opening remarks than he did in his books

Comments in his books included inflammatory passages questioning the capabilities of Black troops -- like a passage in “War on Warriors” that “we can assume that 17 percent of all Black officers in the Air Force are promoted simply because of how they look,” and questioning the value of women serving in combat.

As Hegseth spoke, a protester calling him a misogynist was removed from the hearing.

Michael Waltz and Norm Coleman both left Hegseth’s side after delivering their remarks

Hegseth then began delivering his opening remarks thanking Coleman and Waltz for their “mentorship” and “powerful words” respectively.

Outgoing Republican Florida Rep. Mike Waltz praises Hegseth

Outgoing Republican Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, who’s leaving Congress for a position as Trump’s National Security Advisor, pushed that Hegseth’s military service as a “junior officer on the front lines” was what the Pentagon needed at this time.

“The status quo is unacceptable. It is not working,” Waltz said.

Who’s sitting with Hegseth?

Pete Hegseth is seated between two close allies who’ve helped advocate for his nomination on Capitol Hill. On Hegseth’s left sits Norm Coleman, former Republican U.S. Senator from Minnesota, and to his right sits Rep. Michael Waltz, a GOP congressman from Florida who Donald Trump has tapped to serve as his national security advisor.

A former senator asks to give Hegseth a chance despite his past indiscretions

Hegseth “has struggled and overcome great personal challenges. Please don’t focus on the cynical notion that people can’t change,” said Norm Coleman, a former Republican U.S. Senator from Minnesota.

In the audience during the hearing

Throughout the audience for Pete Hegseth’s Senate confirmation hearing are cadres of men wearing clothing expressing support for veterans or service in the military.

Several wore clothing affixed with military badges or patches. Some wore clothing denoting they were veterans, like one man wearing a Marine Veteran baseball cap. Others were more partisan in nature. Nearly a dozen men seated in the audience wore baseball caps that included the phrase “For Hegseth” brightly emblazoned in red. At least one man wore a black and gold “Make America Great Again” ball cap.

The ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services said Hegseth isn’t qualified for the job

“We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you,” said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island. “Indeed, the totality of your own writings and alleged conduct would disqualify any servicemember from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense.”

He said he respects Hegseth’s military service, but said the nominee’s public comments against women in combat and diversity in the military and other issues are “extremely alarming.” Reed also said he’s concerned about Hegseth’s management of two veterans’ organizations and questioned how he could run the much larger Defense Department.

Sen. Wicker says Hegseth stands out because of his lack of Washington experience

“Washington doesn’t build men like Pete. Combat builds men like Pete,” Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker said.

An ‘unconventional’ nomination as a boon, chairman contends

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker called Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Defense Department “unconventional” but equated the choice as fitting for President-elect Donald Trump.

“Admittedly, this nomination is unconventional. The nominee is unconventional,” Wicker said.

Hegseth, Wicker said, was an unorthodox political figure “just like that New York developer who rode down the escalator,” in 2015.

Hearing begins for Defense nominee Pete Hegseth as senators launch round of public vetting for Trump’s Cabinet picks

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the Department of Defense, entered the Senate hearing room alongside his entourage.

During Senate hearing, Hegseth will make overtures to female and Black troops

Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick to be defense secretary, will make overtures to female and Black troops in his confirmation hearing Tuesday after questioning the capabilities of both groups.

In prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press, Hegseth says to “officers and enlisted, Black and white, young and old, men and women, all Americans, all warriors -- this hearing is for you. Thank you for figuratively, and literally, having my back. I pledge to do the same for you. All of you.”

That strikes a far different tone than he did in his published books, which include inflammatory passages questioning the capabilities of Black troops -- like a passage in “War on Warriors” that “we can assume that 17 percent of all Black officers in the Air Force are promoted simply because of how they look,” and questioning the value of women serving in combat.

Hegseth to say he would be a ‘change agent’ if confirmed

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary will tell senators he would be a “change agent” at the Pentagon if he’s confirmed.

Pete Hegseth will face questioning from the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday as Democrats have questioned whether the former combat veteran and TV news show host is fit to lead the U.S. military. In his prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press, Hegseth says “it’s true that I don’t have a similar biography to Defense Secretaries of the last 30 years” but “where has it gotten us?”

Hegseth said Trump believes, “and I humbly agree, that it’s time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm.”

Expect Hegseth to be grilled over his derogatory statements about women

Hegseth will have to answer for his derogatory comments about women in military service as two former female combat veterans, GOP Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa and Democrat Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, are among those grilling him from the dais.

“He can try to walk back his comments on women in combat all he wants, but we know what he thinks, right?” said Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, who lost her legs and partial use of her right arm when the Blackhawk helicopter she was piloting in the Army National Guard was shot down.

Duckworth said she plans to ask Hegseth about his logistical experience, how many people he’s commanded and about his diplomatic skills. Many senators have not yet met with Hegseth, and they have not been given access to his FBI background check.

“He’s the most unqualified person to ever be nominated for Secretary of Defense,” Duckworth said.

How military groups have reacted to Hegseth’s nomination

Hegseth has the support of some veterans’ groups that say his past indiscretions are not as important as getting in the job someone who will focus on improving military readiness to fight.

Four defense officials pointed to Hegseth’s acknowledged problems and said senior officers have expressed unease about having him at the helm because the defense secretary often sits in judgment of generals and admirals accused of bad behavior — including infidelity and refusal to obey orders.

Service members expect those holding them accountable to set an example and meet equally high standards, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay private discussions.

“Character is everything in an institution,” said former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who served in the Obama administration and was a longtime Republican senator. “You can’t minimize how important character is in leadership.”

Hegseth could lead troops who’d face getting fired for actions he’s done in the past

If Pete Hegseth were still in uniform, his extramarital affairs and a decision to flatly ignore a combat commander’s directive would not just be drawing the attention of senators — they could have run afoul of military law.

That’s raising questions among current and former defense leaders and veterans about whether he would be able to enforce discipline in the ranks if confirmed as President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary. Hegseth would oversee more than 2 million troops who could be disciplined or kicked out of the service for the same behavior he has acknowledged or been accused of in the past.

Hegseth, a 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News Channel weekend host, has acknowledged having multiple extramarital affairs — which occurred while he was in the military, according to divorce records — and has said he told his troops to ignore commands about when to fire on potential enemies. Both violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice and can get troops court-martialed and dishonorably discharged.

He’s also facing questions over his past drinking — which, had it occurred in uniform, also could have led to disciplinary action.

▶ Read more about Hegseth’s past behavior

Today’s Cabinet hearings

9:30 a.m.: Pete Hegseth, Department of Defense The former “Fox & Friends” weekend host and Army National Guard combat veteran goes before the Senate Armed Services Committee after weeks of meetings during which some senators have questioned his fitness for the role amid allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct. The Pentagon chief’s authority over the U.S. military is second only to that of the president’s.

▶ Read the week’s full schedule

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An earlier version of this report stated that Doug Burgum would testify Tuesday. His testimony has been rescheduled to later this week.