The U.S. Senate prepared Friday to confirm former Fox News host Peter Hegseth for defense secretary, with opponents saying Donald Trump’s pick was a combination of his experience with a heavy job and a troubling history of heavy drinking and domestic abuse. There is nowhere nearby.
Hegseth’s resume is so thin and his list of alleged personal issues so long that he makes him an unusual pick to lead the world’s largest nuclear-armed military, with approximately 2.9 million employees and an $850 billion budget. .
He never led a large organization. He served as a major in the National Guard, but is better known more recently for his work as a host on Trump-friendly Fox News.
Following his nomination, a raft of damaging allegations surfaced regarding past drinking excesses and allegations of abusive behavior towards his second wife and a case of sexual assault.
His former sister-in-law Danielle Hegseth said in an affidavit obtained by lawmakers that he was subject to emotional abuse by him, and was told by his second wife that she once hid from him in a closet because she “feared for her personal safety.” Was”. ,
According to the affidavit, Hegseth also told his former sister-in-law that women should not work or have the right to vote, and that “Christians need to have more children so they can outcompete the Muslim population.” Can get out.”
Hegseth denied any wrongdoing and Trump spoke of him to reporters on Friday: “Pete is a very, very nice guy.”
Hegseth has a combative media personality, fierce loyalty and telegenic looks — common hallmarks in Trump’s entourage.
Supporters say his deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq give him insight into running the Pentagon, which is generally considered up for the job.
tricky senate math
In his Senate hearings and media appearances, Hegseth has aggressively driven home the need to make the US military less “woke” and more “lethal”. He has also focused on ending what he says is lowering the standards to help women enter the military.
He calls the allegations of inappropriate personal behavior against him a “smear”, but has said he would stop drinking if confirmed to head the Pentagon.
Republicans hold only a slim majority in the Senate and two of the party’s 53 senators – Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski – are expected to vote against Hegseth, who is expected to get a unanimous “no” from Democrats.
This will still allow the Hegseth to squeak through. If one more Republican voted, it would make it 50-50—with Trump’s vice president, J.D. Vance, coming in to break the tie.
On Thursday, the Senate confirmed John Ratcliffe to lead the CIA, while a vote on the nomination of Kristi Noem to lead Homeland Security is expected to take place Sunday morning.
Then focus on Treasury nominee Scott Bessant and Trump’s pick for Transportation, Sean Duffy.
Those votes are not expected to be difficult for Republicans.
However, the divisions highlighted by Hegseth’s nomination will flare up again next week when three of Trump’s most controversial nominees enter the spotlight.
Kash Patel — Trump’s pick to lead the FBI — goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, the same day as Tulsi Gabbard’s hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Both are facing major questions over their character, decisions and past positions — including Gabbard’s echoing of Kremlin talking points on Ukraine. He is not expected to receive any democratic support.
Thursday is likely to be a day of drama as the Senate holds the first of two scheduled confirmation hearings for Trump’s health secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is likely to overturn his anti-vaccine statements and embrace of other conspiracy theories. Is.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)