Summary
The article is about Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing for the position of Defense Secretary under President-elect Donald Trump. The hearing covers various allegations against Hegseth, including sexual assault and mismanagement of funds, which he has denied. The article also discusses Hegseth’s views on women in combat roles, his support for troops accused of war crimes, and his emphasis on “warfighting” and “lethality” as his priorities for the Pentagon.
Key Points
- Hegseth denies the allegation of sexual assault against him, calling it a “smear campaign” by the “left-wing media”.
- Hegseth defends his support for troops accused and convicted of war crimes, saying there was “prosecutorial misconduct” in their cases.
- Hegseth emphasizes the need for the Pentagon to be “laser focused” on “warfighting” and “lethality” in his opening remarks.
- Hegseth faces questions about his previous comments on women not being as effective in combat roles, but he says women “make amazing contributions across all aspects of our battlefield”.
- The FBI did not interview Hegseth’s two ex-wives and the woman who accused him of sexual assault as part of the background investigation.
- The Senate Armed Services Committee chair and ranking member have seen the FBI report on Hegseth, but other senators have not been given access to it. [1