Democrats question Pete Hegseth over sexual assault and alcohol abuse allegations, but Republicans defend Trump’s Pentagon pick at confirmation hearing

to update: Pete Hegseth had a number of tense exchanges with Democratic senators at his confirmation hearing today, leading to some viral moments, but Republicans expressed their support for the former Fox News host to lead the Pentagon.

The key vote is Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who has expressed some reluctance to support Donald Trump’s choice as news emerged of a settlement with a woman who accused Hegseth of sexual assault.

One of Ernest’s primary concerns was the prevalence of sexual assault in the military. Hegseth told her he would appoint a senior official dedicated to preventing and responding to sexual assaults, and she made no indication of opposition to his nomination.

Democrats used the hearing to highlight Hegseth’s lack of experience leading an organization close to the size of the Pentagon.

But the standout moments came when Hegseth faced questions about her heavy drinking and past comments about women in the military. In 2017, a woman accused Hegseth of sexual assault after a night of drinking at a hotel in Monterey, California. No charges were ever filed, and Hegseth reached a confidential settlement with his accusers in 2020. He has denied the allegations, and his lawyer told The Washington Post that their sexual encounter was consensual. The lawyer also admitted that his client had been drinking alcohol. Hegseth was also married at the time.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told Hegseth about the incident, saying: “You just had a baby two months ago with a woman who is not your wife. I’m shocked that you would stand here and say that you were completely exonerated. Can you casually cheat on a second wife and deceive the mother of a child born two months ago and tell us that you are completely exonerated?

“Those were false accusations. The matter was fully investigated and I was fully exonerated,” Hegseth said.

Ken pressed further. “How do you explain your ruling?”

Hegseth continued to repeat that the defendant’s claim was “false,” but reiterated that he was not a “perfect person.”

He said: “I have failed at things in my life, and fortunately my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ saved me.”

The FBI conducted a background check on Hegseth, but Democrats said it was incomplete. The accuser was not interviewed in 2017. “I don’t think she wanted to talk,” Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told CNN after the hearing.

He added: “They interviewed about 60 or more witnesses, three of whom requested to remain anonymous.”

previously: Pete Hegseth, former co-host of Fox and Friends on the weekendlaunched a wide-ranging attack against media coverage of his nomination for defense secretary in the first part of his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, in which he disputed reports of drunkenness and an allegation of sexual assault.

Hegseth was Trump’s surprise choice as defense secretary, but his nomination appears to be in jeopardy as allegations surface that he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman after a night of drinking in 2017. Hegseth has denied the allegations, and no charges have been filed. But he reached a confidential settlement with the accused in 2020.

At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Hegseth was asked about the allegations and other criticism, including accusations that he mismanaged two nonprofit organizations he led before taking a job at Fox News.

Hegseth blamed the reports on a “coordinated smear campaign organized by the media against us that was evident from the first moment.”

“What we knew was that it wasn’t about me,” Hegseth said. “Most of it was about Donald Trump, who had to put up with the same thing for a much longer time.”

Hegseth said the reports were based on “a small handful of anonymous sources” and that “we did not understand the depth of the dishonesty that might accompany them.” “So, from story after story in the media, and the left-wing media, we saw anonymous source after anonymous source based on second-hand or third-hand accounts.”

However, Hegseth acknowledged that he is “not a perfect person,” but that “redemption is real.”

According to Hegseth financial disclosure form, He received a salary of $4.6 million from Fox News over the course of about two years.

As the first Trump nominee to have a confirmation hearing, Hegseth’s appearance attracted coverage across all major news networks.

Hegseth presented himself as a “change agent” or “someone with no interest in particular companies, specific programs, or approved narratives.” “My only special interest is in the warfighter, who deters wars and, if called upon, wins wars, by ensuring that our warriors never get into a fair fight. We let them win and sent them home.”

Protesters interrupted Hegseth’s opening statement at one point.