Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick for defense secretary, faces protests during his Senate confirmation hearing

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s election as defense secretaryPete Hegseth vowed to support a “warrior culture” at the Pentagon on Tuesday, portraying himself as a “change agent” during a sensitive Senate hearing that sparked an outburst of protests but veterans also backed the choice.

Hegesth used his combat experience in the National Guard and initially did not address the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking against him as senators determined whether the television news host and veteran was fit to lead the U.S. military.

“It’s time to give the reins to someone with dust on their boots. Agent of change,” Hegseth said in opening remarks.

When asked directly about the sexual assault allegations, Hegseth dismissed them as a “smear campaign,” portraying himself as unfairly attacked. However, he did not specifically address any of the allegations or tell senators that he did not drink or have sexual intercourse with women.

Senators immediately began sparring, with the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee confirming the “unconventional” choice and the top Democrat warning of an “extremely disturbing” allegations against Hegseth.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-PA), the chairman, compared Hegseth to Trump himself, dismissed the various allegations against him as baseless and said he would “bring energy and fresh ideas to shake up the bureaucracy.”

However, Sen. Jack Reed (D-I.D.) stated flatly, “I do not believe you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job.”

Hegseth’s experience in the National Guard is widely seen as an asset for the position, but he also presents a harrowing record of past statements and actions, including allegations of sexual assault, excessive drinking and derisive views about women in combat roles in the military, minorities and “woke up” the generals. He said he would not drink alcohol if he was confirmed to lead the Pentagon.

Trump supported his choice, stating in a morning post that Hegseth had “my full and total support” while wishing the candidate “good luck.”

The hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee kicks off a week-long marathon in which senators begin to analyze Trump’s picks for a dozen top administration positions.

Hegseth is among the most high-risk picks in Trump’s administration, but GOP allies are determined to make him a celebration of Trump’s approach to governing amid the country’s culture wars. Outside groups, including those affiliated with the Heritage Foundation, are running expensive campaigns to support Hegseth’s bid.

The audience included groups of men wearing clothes expressing support for veterans or military service, but also protesters who temporarily disrupted the proceedings but were removed from the hall.

The Republican-led Senate is rushing to confirm some of Trump’s picks as early as Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, despite potential opposition from some on both sides of the aisle. With a slim GOP majority, they need almost all Republicans to support Trump’s election if Democrats oppose.

Hegseth faces perhaps the most difficult road to confirmation. He will be forced to confront sexual assault allegations, which he has denied, and his own comments removed from the military mainstream, though he has support from some veterans groups who say his past indiscretions are not as important as his focus on improving readiness military to fight.

Hegseth will have to answer for his comments that women “should immediately” not be in combat roles in the military, a comment he softened after recent meetings with senators. Two former combat veterans, Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa and Democrat Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, are among those grilling him from the podium.

“He can try to take back his comments about women in combat all he wants, but we know what he thinks, right?” said Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who lost her legs and part of her right arm when the Black Hawk helicopter she was piloting in the Air National Guard was shot down. “He is the most unqualified person ever nominated to be secretary of defense.”

Many senators have not yet met with Hegseth, and most do not have access to his FBI background check because only committee leaders have been briefed on the findings. Hegseth’s background check appeared to be inadequate and did not investigate or provide new information beyond what is already in the public sphere about him, according to a person familiar with the situation who insisted on anonymity to discuss the matter.

In many respects, the Hegseth hearing is expected to follow the template set during Trump’s first term, when one of his Supreme Court picks, Brett Kavanaugh, came under intense scrutiny over sexual assault allegations against him teenagers, but recovered and received confirmation from the Supreme Court.

Kavanaugh stoutly resisted during a volcanic hearing in 2018, portraying the sexual assault allegations against him as a smear by liberal lawmakers and outside groups opposed to his judicial record, turning the tables in a way that many senators see as setting a new benchmark for bias .

Hegseth was largely unknown on Capitol Hill when Trump hired him for the top Pentagon job.

Co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Fox News Channel; has been with the network since 2014 and has clearly caught the attention of the president-elect, who is an avid consumer of television, especially news channels.

Hegseth, 44, attended Princeton University and served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, serving in Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011 and earning two Bronze Stars. However, he lacks senior military and national security experience.

In 2017, a woman told police that Hegseth had sexually assaulted her, according to a detailed investigative report that was recently made public. Hegseth denied any wrongdoing and told police at the time that the meeting at a California Republican Party women’s event was consensual. He later paid the woman a confidential settlement to head off a potential lawsuit.

If confirmed, Hegseth will assume military duties while dealing with a series of international crises and domestic challenges in recruiting, retaining troops and ongoing funding.

In addition to serving as the president’s key national security adviser, the defense secretary oversees a massive organization with nearly 2.1 million troops, about 780,000 civilians and a budget of about $850 billion.

The secretary is responsible for tens of thousands of U.S. troops deployed overseas and at sea, including in combat zones where they face attack, such as in Syria and Iraq and in the waters around Yemen. The Secretary makes all final recommendations to the President regarding what units will be deployed, where they will go, and how long they will stay.

The secretary’s primary responsibility is to ensure that the U.S. military is ready, trained, and equipped to meet any call to duty. But the Secretary must also ensure that American soldiers are safe in their own country, have adequate housing, health care, pay, and support for programs that address suicide, sexual assault, and financial fraud.

Pentagon chiefs regularly travel around the world, meeting with international leaders on a wide range of security issues, including U.S. military assistance, counterterrorism support, troop presence and global coalition building. They also play a key role in NATO as a key partner to allies across the region.

Mascaro, Copp and Brown write for the Associated Press. AP writers Lolita C. Baldor and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.