Tag Archives: Pete Hegseth

Via press release from Sen. Mitch McConnell: “Mere desire to be a ‘change agent’ is not enough to fill these shoes. And ‘dust on boots’ fails even to distinguish this nominee from multiple predecessors of the last decade. Nor is it a precondition for success. Secretaries with distinguished combat experience and time in the trenches have failed at the job. …

CNN reports: The Senate narrowly voted to confirm embattled Pete Hegseth as secretary of the Department of Defense, in a major win for President Donald Trump and his new administration. Vice President JD Vance cast the 51-50 tie-breaking vote after former GOP Leader Mitch McConnell and GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine joined Democrats to …

CBS News reports: The Senate is poised to hold a vote to confirm Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as secretary of defense, late Friday evening. Hegseth lost the support of two Senate Republicans during that Thursday vote. Those two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, are once again expected to cast votes against Hegseth during a …

The Guardian reports: In a series of newly unearthed podcasts, Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, appears to endorse the theocratic and authoritarian doctrine of “sphere sovereignty”, a worldview derived from the extremist beliefs of Christian reconstructionism and espoused by churches aligned with far-right Idaho pastor Douglas Wilson. In the recordings, Hegseth rails against “cultural Marxism”, feminism, “critical …

The Associated Press reports: Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, paid $50,000 to the woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, according to answers he provided to a senator during his confirmation process that The Associated Press has obtained. The answers were provided to Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren in response to additional questions she …

NBC News reports: The Senate on Thursday voted to advance Pete Hegseth’s nomination to be President Donald Trump’s defense secretary, setting up a final confirmation vote for the end of the week. Senators voted by the narrowest of margins, 51 to 49, to advance Hegseth’s bid to lead the Pentagon, with just two Republicans — moderate Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, …

The New York Times reports: Republican leaders are plowing ahead with their drive to confirm Mr. Hegseth, as Democrats who have called him unfit to lead the Pentagon work to persuade a handful of G.O.P. senators to join them in opposition. They are pointing to a sworn statement submitted to the Senate on Tuesday by a former sister-in-law of Mr. …

“While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do nothing to quiet my concerns, the past behaviors Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces. These behaviors starkly contrast the values and discipline expected of servicemembers. Men and women in uniform …

The New York Times reports: An ex-sister-in-law of Pete Hegseth’s submitted a sworn statement to senators on Tuesday that accused Mr. Hegseth, President Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, of being so “abusive” toward his second wife that she once hid in a closet from him and had a safe word to call for help if she needed to get …

NBC News reports: Senators received an affidavit Tuesday from the former sister-in-law of defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth in which she says his behavior caused his second wife to fear for her safety. The receipt of the affidavit comes after Senate Armed Services Committee staffers were in contact with Hegseth’s former sister-in-law for several days. The former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, …

The Hill reports: The Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday voted to advance Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s nominee to serve as secretary of Defense, to the floor. The 14-13 vote was strictly along party lines. The strong opposition to Hegseth expressed by Democrats on the Armed Services panel signals they will use many of the procedural tools at their disposal …

Politico reports: Pete Hegseth has won over Sen. Joni Ernst. The Iowa senator said Tuesday she will be voting to confirm Hegseth to the next Defense secretary, a crucial endorsement for a nomination that seemed to be on shaky ground a few weeks ago. Ernst told an Iowa radio show that said the former Fox News host was able to …

“There’s a lot of senators here I wouldn’t have on my board because there’s no qualifications except your age and you’ve got to be living in the state and you’re a citizen of the United States to be a senator. How many senators have showed up drunk to vote at night? Have any of you guys asked them to step …

Mediaite reports: Sen Mazie Hirono said: “In June of 2020, then-President Trump directed former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to shoot protesters in the legs in downtown D.C. An order secretary Esper refused to comply with. Would you carry out such an order from President Trump? Hegseth began to respond: “Senator, I was in the Washington DC National Guard unit …

CNN reports: President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, defended his support for service members accused and convicted of war crimes on Tuesday, saying there was “prosecutorial misconduct” in their cases and that he was “proud” to ensure they were looked after. “In many of the cases you’re talking about in particular, sir, there was evidence withheld, there …

“We undertook this responsibility with an obligation to the troops to do right by them for our warfighters. And what became very evident to us from the beginning, there was a coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media against us. “That was clear from moment one. And what we knew is that it wasn’t about me. Most of it was …

The Washington Post reports: Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial pick for defense secretary, faces a high-stakes Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday that could determine whether his nomination moves forward. Hegseth, a National Guard veteran and former Fox News host, is expected to be grilled about his limited management experience and allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking, which he denies. …

Axios reports: Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing is becoming a test of will for Republicans on ensuring FBI files aren’t distributed throughout the entire Senate. That means no FBI background check access for rank-and-file senators, according to two people familiar with the matter. Senate Armed Services chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and ranking member Jack Reed (D-R.I.) have been …

Punchbowl News reports: Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) — the chair and ranking member, respectively — are the only committee members who have viewed Hegseth’s FBI file, which was delivered to the panel late last week. Republicans on SASC who have been briefed say that the report is unremarkable. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) told reporters on Friday …

NBC News reports: An FBI background check for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense, was transmitted late Friday to the leading members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the report, just days ahead of his Tuesday confirmation hearing. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the panel’s chairman, and …