After weeks of controversy over Pete Hegseth’s ability to lead the Department of Defense, amid reports that surfaced of an alleged sexual assault, binge drinking, and personal misconduct as the leader of two veterans organizations, Hegseth today confirmed he was unqualified for the role during a combative hearing in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Hegseth repeated lies about the U.S. military, lied about his past comments disparaging women service members, lied about his comments attacking veterans who accept benefits, and lied about the sexual assault allegations levied against him.
Hegseth did little to assuage fears that he was unqualified to lead the Pentagon by incorrectly answering questions about branches of the military, U.S. allies, and major defense agreements. He showed his extreme far-right ideology by refusing to condemn torture or abandoning the Geneva Conventions and signaling an openness to further restrict access to health care.
“Throughout his hearing, Pete Hegseth rattled off Fox News talking points and repeated disinformation often expressed by far-right extremists, but did little to assuage fears he lacked the experience to lead the world’s strongest fighting force,” said American Bridge 21st Century spokesperson Brandon Weathersby. “Given a chance to answer the tough questions about his treatment of women and controversial views on women and LGTBQ+ Americans serving in the military, Pete Hegseth chose to lie, blame his accusers, and attack members of the media. When asked detailed questions about the Department of Defense and the role of the Secretary, Hegseth couldn’t answer them correctly or speak with specificity. Today, Pete Hegseth proved he is one of the most unprepared and unqualified people ever nominated to lead the Department of Defense.”
Hegseth’s disastrous hearing is the first of many to come over the next few weeks as Trump brings the swamp back to Washington with people whose main qualification is a staunch loyalty to the extreme MAGA stalwart.
In preparation, yesterday, American Bridge 21st Century dropped a massive trove of new research and message guidance to MAGAFiles, a one-stop shop of Trump Administration research powered by American Bridge’s vast and effective opposition research.
Get the facts on Hegseth’s MAGAFiles:
- Hegseth doesn’t care about veterans.
- While Pete Hegseth was the leader of Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), the group supported privatizing Veterans Affairs’ health care and veterans’ pensions.
- CVA recommended reforms that would force most veterans to pay out-of-pocket costs for private health care.
- More than one-fifth of future veterans would not be eligible for VA care under the CVA plan.
- Hegseth is unqualified to lead the Pentagon and is a threat to national security.
- Hegseth’s colleagues have reportedly been concerned about his drinking. From 2013 to 2015, Hegseth was extremely intoxicated at multiple CVA events and, in one instance, needed “to be carried to his room.”
- Hegseth was accused of sexual assault in 2017 and paid his accuser to remain silent after she threatened litigation.
- Hegseth has dangerous, extreme far-right ideas.
- Hegseth argued for loosening U.S. military rules and called for “total war.”
- As a Fox News host, Hegseth defended Blackwater contractors convicted of killing civilians.
- Hegseth defended torture and claimed conditions for prisoners at Guantanamo Bay were comfortable and humane.
- On two separate occasions, Hegseth argued in favor of a preemptive strike against North Korea, saying, “there is merit in a preemptive strike,” and that “we have to do something aggressive now.”
- Hegseth supported withdrawing from the United Nations.
- Hegseth refused to acknowledge that Trump lost the 2020 election and defended insurrectionists as people who “love our country.”
- Hegseth referred to reproductive justice as “absolutely and utterly meaningless.”
- Hegseth wrote that “homosexuality and heterosexuality are not moral equivalents.”
Published: Jan 14, 2025