Seven Crazy Events from Hegseth's Hearing
The former Fox News host responded to inquiries regarding infidelity, religion, and navigating his relationship with Donald Trump.
TroibNews 
Pete Hegseth’s nomination hearing on Tuesday was anticipated to generate significant drama — and it certainly delivered. While Republicans provided Hegseth an opportunity to address allegations ranging from sexual assault to issues of drunkenness, Democrats focused on his controversial history to argue against his qualifications for the Pentagon’s top role.
Here are seven of the most notable moments from the hearing.
**Dems confront sexual assault allegations**
The serious allegations of sexual assault that have shadowed Hegseth's nomination surfaced roughly an hour into the confirmation hearing, leading to some of his most awkward exchanges. He maintained that the 2017 accusation was a “false claim” and characterized inquiries about whether such accusations could disqualify a Defense nominee as “hypothetical.” This did little to hinder the barrage of questions from Democrats. Hegseth was never charged but did reach a confidential financial settlement with his accuser.
Democrats also criticized Hegseth for his infidelity with multiple wives, even as he asserted his innocence. “You have admitted that you had sex while you were married to wife two, after you just had fathered a child by wife three,” Sen. Tim Kaine stated. “You've admitted that.” Kaine expressed frustration that Hegseth had not been transparent about these allegations with the Trump team. “Why didn't you inform the commander-in-chief and the transition team of this very relevant event?” Kaine asked.
**Women in combat roles**
Hegseth seemed to shift his stance on earlier remarks regarding women in combat roles, assuring Sen. Joni Ernst that “women will have access to ground combat roles.” This marked a significant change from his previous comments. “It’s not about the capability of men and women, it’s about standards,” Hegseth told Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, discussing criteria such as the ability to carry firearms and run with heavy loads. He expressed concerns about military standards being lowered but offered few specific examples, leading Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand to challenge his assertions.
Hegseth’s change of position did not win over Democrats on the committee. “You would have to change the way you view women to do this job well, and I don’t know if you are capable of that,” Gillibrand remarked.
**Ignoring Democrats’ requests**
The hearing began with an air of civility, but that quickly dissipated. Several Democratic senators voiced dissatisfaction that Hegseth had declined to meet with them, even while engaging with Republican senators. “You haven't wanted to meet or to answer any of my questions, so we'll just have to do it here and dive in,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren said.
Hegseth appeared reluctant to agree to additional scrutiny, stating, “I’m not in charge of the FBI background checks” when confronted by Sen. Richard Blumenthal. Ranking member Jack Reed also struggled to gain a commitment from Chair Roger Wicker to extend the hearing for two rounds of questioning, a practice customary for previous Defense chiefs.
**Emphasizing loyalty to God and Trump**
Unlike former Defense Secretaries Jim Mattis and Lloyd Austin, who rarely invoked religion, Hegseth frequently referenced his faith and President Trump. “I will emphasize that President Trump received 77 million votes to be the lawful commander in chief,” Hegseth stated when Sen. Mazie Hirono pressed him on whether he would follow hypothetical orders to invade Greenland. When Hirono interrupted him, Hegseth continued to extol Trump, saying, “One of the things that President Trump is so good at is never strategically tipping his hand.”
In response to questions about his past infidelity, Hegseth mentioned that his daughter from that relationship is a “child of God.” Democrats perceived his religious references as distractions from his shifting policy positions, with Sen. Angus King saying, “You seem to have been converted over the last several weeks.”
**Claiming inexperience as an asset**
Hegseth stated that his lack of experience as a government executive set him apart from previous Defense Secretaries, viewing it as a strength. “I know I've never run an organization of three million people with a budget of $850 billion,” Hegseth admitted to Sen. Rick Scott. “What I do know is that I've led men and women. I've led people.”
He contended that this lack of experience would enable him to communicate effectively with military personnel. Democratic senators, however, argued that it indicated he was unqualified for the role. “I don't believe that you can tell this committee or the people of America that you are qualified to lead them,” Blumenthal said. “I would support you as the spokesperson for the Pentagon.”
**Questions about illegal orders**
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA officer, challenged Hegseth regarding Trump’s controversial proposals to employ the military for actions such as invading Greenland and mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. “Do you agree that there are some orders that can be given by the commander-in-chief that would violate the U.S. Constitution?” she queried. Hegseth refrained from affirming that concern: “I reject the premise that President Trump is going to be giving illegal orders,” he said.
**Ernst's evolving stance**
Sen. Joni Ernst, a former soldier and advocate for sexual assault prevention, seemed to hold a critical swing vote as Hegseth’s confirmation hung in the balance. However, by the hearing's conclusion, she appeared to shift her support. She even entered a supportive statement from one of Hegseth’s successors at Concerned Veterans for America into the congressional record, ending with a straightforward inquiry on whether he would appoint a senior official dedicated to sexual assault prevention and response. Hegseth confirmed he would, even though the Pentagon already has such an office established.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
Here are seven of the most notable moments from the hearing.
**Dems confront sexual assault allegations**
The serious allegations of sexual assault that have shadowed Hegseth's nomination surfaced roughly an hour into the confirmation hearing, leading to some of his most awkward exchanges. He maintained that the 2017 accusation was a “false claim” and characterized inquiries about whether such accusations could disqualify a Defense nominee as “hypothetical.” This did little to hinder the barrage of questions from Democrats. Hegseth was never charged but did reach a confidential financial settlement with his accuser.
Democrats also criticized Hegseth for his infidelity with multiple wives, even as he asserted his innocence. “You have admitted that you had sex while you were married to wife two, after you just had fathered a child by wife three,” Sen. Tim Kaine stated. “You've admitted that.” Kaine expressed frustration that Hegseth had not been transparent about these allegations with the Trump team. “Why didn't you inform the commander-in-chief and the transition team of this very relevant event?” Kaine asked.
**Women in combat roles**
Hegseth seemed to shift his stance on earlier remarks regarding women in combat roles, assuring Sen. Joni Ernst that “women will have access to ground combat roles.” This marked a significant change from his previous comments. “It’s not about the capability of men and women, it’s about standards,” Hegseth told Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, discussing criteria such as the ability to carry firearms and run with heavy loads. He expressed concerns about military standards being lowered but offered few specific examples, leading Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand to challenge his assertions.
Hegseth’s change of position did not win over Democrats on the committee. “You would have to change the way you view women to do this job well, and I don’t know if you are capable of that,” Gillibrand remarked.
**Ignoring Democrats’ requests**
The hearing began with an air of civility, but that quickly dissipated. Several Democratic senators voiced dissatisfaction that Hegseth had declined to meet with them, even while engaging with Republican senators. “You haven't wanted to meet or to answer any of my questions, so we'll just have to do it here and dive in,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren said.
Hegseth appeared reluctant to agree to additional scrutiny, stating, “I’m not in charge of the FBI background checks” when confronted by Sen. Richard Blumenthal. Ranking member Jack Reed also struggled to gain a commitment from Chair Roger Wicker to extend the hearing for two rounds of questioning, a practice customary for previous Defense chiefs.
**Emphasizing loyalty to God and Trump**
Unlike former Defense Secretaries Jim Mattis and Lloyd Austin, who rarely invoked religion, Hegseth frequently referenced his faith and President Trump. “I will emphasize that President Trump received 77 million votes to be the lawful commander in chief,” Hegseth stated when Sen. Mazie Hirono pressed him on whether he would follow hypothetical orders to invade Greenland. When Hirono interrupted him, Hegseth continued to extol Trump, saying, “One of the things that President Trump is so good at is never strategically tipping his hand.”
In response to questions about his past infidelity, Hegseth mentioned that his daughter from that relationship is a “child of God.” Democrats perceived his religious references as distractions from his shifting policy positions, with Sen. Angus King saying, “You seem to have been converted over the last several weeks.”
**Claiming inexperience as an asset**
Hegseth stated that his lack of experience as a government executive set him apart from previous Defense Secretaries, viewing it as a strength. “I know I've never run an organization of three million people with a budget of $850 billion,” Hegseth admitted to Sen. Rick Scott. “What I do know is that I've led men and women. I've led people.”
He contended that this lack of experience would enable him to communicate effectively with military personnel. Democratic senators, however, argued that it indicated he was unqualified for the role. “I don't believe that you can tell this committee or the people of America that you are qualified to lead them,” Blumenthal said. “I would support you as the spokesperson for the Pentagon.”
**Questions about illegal orders**
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA officer, challenged Hegseth regarding Trump’s controversial proposals to employ the military for actions such as invading Greenland and mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. “Do you agree that there are some orders that can be given by the commander-in-chief that would violate the U.S. Constitution?” she queried. Hegseth refrained from affirming that concern: “I reject the premise that President Trump is going to be giving illegal orders,” he said.
**Ernst's evolving stance**
Sen. Joni Ernst, a former soldier and advocate for sexual assault prevention, seemed to hold a critical swing vote as Hegseth’s confirmation hung in the balance. However, by the hearing's conclusion, she appeared to shift her support. She even entered a supportive statement from one of Hegseth’s successors at Concerned Veterans for America into the congressional record, ending with a straightforward inquiry on whether he would appoint a senior official dedicated to sexual assault prevention and response. Hegseth confirmed he would, even though the Pentagon already has such an office established.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
