Pete Hegseth, the controversial nominee for US secretary of defense chosen by Donald Trump, is set to appear before a Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday. As a military veteran and Fox News host, Hegseth is under intense scrutiny for allegations of sexual assault, excessive alcohol use, and financial mismanagement.
The Senate armed services committee will meet at 9:30 am ET on Tuesday to question Hegseth. His path to confirmation is uncertain as he can only afford to lose the votes of three Senate Republicans. Concerns have been raised by several Republican members regarding Hegseth’s personal history and his stance on women in the military.
In 2017, allegations surfaced that Hegseth sexually assaulted a woman by blocking her from leaving a hotel room. While he denied the accusation, it was revealed that a settlement was paid to the woman. Additionally, reports claim that Hegseth often got heavily intoxicated at work events and used official funds for personal expenses while leading Concerned Veterans for America.
Hegseth’s controversial remarks about women in combat roles and gay troops being part of a “Marxist agenda” have further fueled criticism against him. Despite attempts to backtrack on these comments recently, concerns remain.
In response to the backlash, Hegseth defended himself in a Wall Street Journal op-ed accusing media outlets of orchestrating a smear campaign against him without evidence or support from those who know him well.
While Trump’s Republican allies express confidence in Hegseth’s confirmation chances, Democratic senators like Jack Reed remain skeptical about his qualifications to lead such an important government agency.
2025-01-14 07:00:26
Original from www.theguardian.com