Hegseth faces moment of truth as Senate kicks off confirmation hearings

The Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday will hold a hearing for Defense Secretary-designate Pete Hegseth, offering him the final opportunity to make his case before key lawmakers who will ultimately vote on his confirmation to the post.

President-elect Donald Trump raised eyebrows by tapping the former Fox News host and veteran advocate for the job, largely due to his unconventional background, but also because of his past public statements and prior allegations of misconduct.

Hegseth’s nomination appeared in jeopardy in mid-December as members of even the Republican Party seemed disinclined to confirm him. But stalwart support from Trump and an intense pressure campaign led to some lawmakers changing their tune.

Hegseth appears to have weathered much of the storm, however, as Senate Majority Leader John Thune reportedly expressed to Trump a belief that Hegseth has the votes to secure confirmation, according to CBS News.

Tuesday’s hearing remains the final potentially game-changing moment for what has been a contentious process for Hegseth. Here’s a look at the highlights of his nomination, thus far.

Misconduct and drinking allegations in 2017

Hegseth faced accusations of sexual assault in connection with a 2017 incident in California. He has denied the allegations and insisted that the encounter was consensual. Police ultimately opted against bringing charges against Hegseth and he reached a settlement with the accuser two years ago.

“In 2023, Hegseth paid the complainant as part of a civil confidential settlement agreement and maintains his innocence,” his attorney, Tim Parlatore, said after the accusations went public.

Parlatore in early December said that they were mulling an extortion suit against his accuser if he is not confirmed to the post. The woman in question remains anonymous.

Separate from her claims were anonymous accusations from Hegseth’s former colleagues who raised concerns about his drinking habits, contending that he frequently overindulged in the consumption of alcohol.

Amid the allegations, Trump himself called on Republicans to “be smart and tough” and warned that the Democrats would try to derail his key appointments.

"They will try all sorts of tricks starting very soon. Republicans must not allow them to do that. We have a Country to run, and many big problems to solve, mostly created by Democrats,” he also warned.

The Joni Ernst pressure campaign

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, emerged as a prominent holdout among Republicans to Hegseth’s confirmation and faced claims that she opposed him only because she sought to lead the Pentagon herself.

The Federalist published an article in mid-December highlighting anonymous assertions that Ernst was “calling and nagging” Trump over the Hegseth nomination and that she was “waging a campaign to replace Hegseth with herself.” She has denied those claims.

The Iowa lawmaker’s purported opposition drew outrage from online MAGA figures, who organized a concerted pressure campaign against Ernst and began openly threatening a primary challenge should she not fall in line. She ultimately met with Hegseth in early December and expressed openness to backing his nomination.

"Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women - based on quality and standards, no quotas - and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks," she said at the time.

Reforms for lethality and ending wokeness

 Hegseth’s vision for reshaping the military is driving much of the controversy around his nomination, as he has been focusing has been primarily on warfighting at the expense of progressive social initiatives.

Hegseth has previously been critical of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in the military, as well as the Obama administration’s decision to allow women in combat roles. The would-be leader of the Pentagon has insisted that the Department’s prioritization of such efforts have come at the cost of military effectiveness.

“The Army that I enlisted in, or the Army I swore an oath to in 2001, and was commissioned in 2003, looks a lot different than the Army of today because we are focused [now] on a lot of the wrong things,” he said in an appearance on “The Shawn Ryan Show.”

He has further attracted concerns that he might terminate a large number of high-ranking leaders, most notably Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman CQ Brown, whom Trump initially tapped to lead the Air Force and later ascended to his current post under President Joe Biden.

Across the aisle support?

Despite initial opposition from within the Republican camp and a widespread expectation of minimal Democratic support, some lawmakers on the other side of the aisle appear willing to hear him out. Hegseth met with Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., last month, after which the senator trolled reporters by highlighting Hegseth’s positions on Pennsylvania-specific issues such as the rivalry between Sheetz and Wawa, two gas station/food chains based in different parts of the Keystone State.

He declined to state at the time how he would vote on Hegseth’s confirmation but did not rule out supporting him. Fetterman’s visit to Mar-a-Lago this week, moreover, has attracted speculation that he may support some of Trump’s more contentious nominees.

Some Democrats on the Armed Services Committee, however, have expressed strong disagreement with Hegseth over key positions. Speaking on criticism of women in combat roles, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., called him “flat out wrong” in an interview on “Face the Nation.” A combat veteran of the Iraq War, she served as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot and in 2004, her helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. She subsequently lost both legs and some mobility in her right arm.