Hegseth Retracts Disputed Remarks on Women and Gays Serving in the Military
The Pentagon nominee changed their position following discussions with Republican senators who were considered potential swing votes.
TroibNews 
Donald Trump's allies have taken credit for persuading Sen. Joni Ernst to adjust her stance on the president-elect's choice for Pentagon chief. However, recent developments indicate that former Fox News host Pete Hegseth is also showing signs of flexibility.
Hegseth has moderated his previously firm opposition to women in combat and LGBTQ+ service members, having previously suggested that such individuals should not occupy those roles. His change in tone — which emerged following discussions with more centrist senators — suggests an attempt to alleviate ongoing concerns that his leadership could disrupt the inclusiveness of a diverse, modern military. This adaptation may provide a template for Trump's other potential nominees who may encounter challenges during their confirmation processes.
In the past, Hegseth labeled policies permitting LGBTQ+ troops to serve as part of a “Marxist agenda.” However, during a recent meeting with Sen. Rand Paul, he responded to a question regarding the service of gay individuals in the military by saying, “Yes.”
Once a vocal opponent of allowing women in combat positions, Hegseth has described women as “some of our greatest warriors” in a recent Fox News segment.
This apparent shift in perspective coincides with allegations against Hegseth concerning sexual assault, heavy drinking, and financial mismanagement—issues that have raised further questions about his suitability for the role. His new approach follows discussions with Republican senators, including Ernst, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski, who hold pivotal votes in the confirmation process.
Despite this, it’s possible that the president-elect could soon embrace Hegseth’s more hardline views upon taking office.
During his efforts to reframe his positions in private, Hegseth met with Collins for nearly 90 minutes. Collins indicated to reporters that Hegseth had readdressed his views on women in combat.
When asked if he seemed more open to the topic, Collins responded, “Yes. I’m not going to get into specifics but I did bring that up, and I pressed him on it since that’s an issue that matters to me.”
Last month, in an appearance on “The Shawn Ryan Show,” Hegseth stated, “I’m straight up just saying, we should not have women in combat roles.” Those remarks have since trailed him during his Pentagon nomination efforts. In his Monday interview with Fox News, Hegseth contended that previous comments had been taken out of context.
Sen. Josh Hawley, who opposes a military draft for women, said he spoke with Hegseth during their Wednesday meeting, where Hegseth expressed agreement with him. However, Hegseth also stated that he supports women serving in combat, according to Hawley.
“He was asked in our post-meeting gaggle [with reporters] whether he was supportive of women in combat and his answer was he was supportive of that,” Hawley said.
Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for Trump, indicated that Hegseth hoped to prioritize military strength over efforts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“Like President Trump, Pete wants to see the U.S. military focus on being the world’s strongest fighting force — not on cultural and social issues,” Hughes remarked. “If you can meet the standards, you can serve. But given the threats we face, our priorities shouldn’t be lowering standards and wasting taxpayer money to meet arbitrary social quotas. Our priorities should be readiness and lethality.”
Senators have urged Hegseth to carefully consider how he communicates his views on women in combat in the lead-up to his highly anticipated confirmation hearing in a few weeks.
Sen. Mike Rounds, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, noted that Hegseth’s explanations, both public and private, have enhanced his prospects for confirmation. “I don’t think we can go to war without women as part of our team, and so that needed to be explained a bit better,” he asserted.
Some Republican senators dismissed Hegseth’s shift in views as a typical aspect of the confirmation process, which they believe reflects the Senate's responsibility to thoroughly evaluate nominees.
“That's just a natural part of the ‘advise and consent’ process,” remarked Sen. Dan Sullivan, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “You’ve got senators on Armed Services. We've been doing this for a long time. They not only have views, but they have experience, and that's what happens when you go through the process.”
Hegseth is scheduled to meet with over 20 senators this week, with Ernst being a focal point. After her second meeting with Hegseth on Monday, the combat veteran and advocate for military sexual assault survivors shifted her position from skepticism to support.
Ernst stated that Hegseth is "very supportive of women in the military" and noted in a statement that he agreed to appoint a senior official to "uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas" and to address sexual assault within the ranks.
Facing considerable pressure from Trump supporters, Ernst adjusted her tone, leading the president-elect’s team to feel hopeful about Hegseth’s nomination prospects.
“I heard he was changing his tune a little bit on women in combat,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Trump ally. “Sometimes you make comments that you don't really want to stand by, sometimes, you know, when you're not up for confirmation."
However, Hegseth’s critics in Congress remain skeptical, asserting that his true beliefs align more closely with his previous statements made before his nomination for the Pentagon role.
"Trump nominees lie all the time in order to get confirmed, don't they?" questioned Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Army combat veteran who lost both her legs in Iraq. "So, I don't trust him.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
Hegseth has moderated his previously firm opposition to women in combat and LGBTQ+ service members, having previously suggested that such individuals should not occupy those roles. His change in tone — which emerged following discussions with more centrist senators — suggests an attempt to alleviate ongoing concerns that his leadership could disrupt the inclusiveness of a diverse, modern military. This adaptation may provide a template for Trump's other potential nominees who may encounter challenges during their confirmation processes.
In the past, Hegseth labeled policies permitting LGBTQ+ troops to serve as part of a “Marxist agenda.” However, during a recent meeting with Sen. Rand Paul, he responded to a question regarding the service of gay individuals in the military by saying, “Yes.”
Once a vocal opponent of allowing women in combat positions, Hegseth has described women as “some of our greatest warriors” in a recent Fox News segment.
This apparent shift in perspective coincides with allegations against Hegseth concerning sexual assault, heavy drinking, and financial mismanagement—issues that have raised further questions about his suitability for the role. His new approach follows discussions with Republican senators, including Ernst, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski, who hold pivotal votes in the confirmation process.
Despite this, it’s possible that the president-elect could soon embrace Hegseth’s more hardline views upon taking office.
During his efforts to reframe his positions in private, Hegseth met with Collins for nearly 90 minutes. Collins indicated to reporters that Hegseth had readdressed his views on women in combat.
When asked if he seemed more open to the topic, Collins responded, “Yes. I’m not going to get into specifics but I did bring that up, and I pressed him on it since that’s an issue that matters to me.”
Last month, in an appearance on “The Shawn Ryan Show,” Hegseth stated, “I’m straight up just saying, we should not have women in combat roles.” Those remarks have since trailed him during his Pentagon nomination efforts. In his Monday interview with Fox News, Hegseth contended that previous comments had been taken out of context.
Sen. Josh Hawley, who opposes a military draft for women, said he spoke with Hegseth during their Wednesday meeting, where Hegseth expressed agreement with him. However, Hegseth also stated that he supports women serving in combat, according to Hawley.
“He was asked in our post-meeting gaggle [with reporters] whether he was supportive of women in combat and his answer was he was supportive of that,” Hawley said.
Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for Trump, indicated that Hegseth hoped to prioritize military strength over efforts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“Like President Trump, Pete wants to see the U.S. military focus on being the world’s strongest fighting force — not on cultural and social issues,” Hughes remarked. “If you can meet the standards, you can serve. But given the threats we face, our priorities shouldn’t be lowering standards and wasting taxpayer money to meet arbitrary social quotas. Our priorities should be readiness and lethality.”
Senators have urged Hegseth to carefully consider how he communicates his views on women in combat in the lead-up to his highly anticipated confirmation hearing in a few weeks.
Sen. Mike Rounds, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, noted that Hegseth’s explanations, both public and private, have enhanced his prospects for confirmation. “I don’t think we can go to war without women as part of our team, and so that needed to be explained a bit better,” he asserted.
Some Republican senators dismissed Hegseth’s shift in views as a typical aspect of the confirmation process, which they believe reflects the Senate's responsibility to thoroughly evaluate nominees.
“That's just a natural part of the ‘advise and consent’ process,” remarked Sen. Dan Sullivan, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “You’ve got senators on Armed Services. We've been doing this for a long time. They not only have views, but they have experience, and that's what happens when you go through the process.”
Hegseth is scheduled to meet with over 20 senators this week, with Ernst being a focal point. After her second meeting with Hegseth on Monday, the combat veteran and advocate for military sexual assault survivors shifted her position from skepticism to support.
Ernst stated that Hegseth is "very supportive of women in the military" and noted in a statement that he agreed to appoint a senior official to "uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas" and to address sexual assault within the ranks.
Facing considerable pressure from Trump supporters, Ernst adjusted her tone, leading the president-elect’s team to feel hopeful about Hegseth’s nomination prospects.
“I heard he was changing his tune a little bit on women in combat,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Trump ally. “Sometimes you make comments that you don't really want to stand by, sometimes, you know, when you're not up for confirmation."
However, Hegseth’s critics in Congress remain skeptical, asserting that his true beliefs align more closely with his previous statements made before his nomination for the Pentagon role.
"Trump nominees lie all the time in order to get confirmed, don't they?" questioned Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Army combat veteran who lost both her legs in Iraq. "So, I don't trust him.”
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
