Pete Hegseth: The Way to Get His Post-Election Nomination as Defense Secretary in the U.S. Armed Forces
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has repeatedly emphasized that all of Trump’s nominees will get a fair process. He thinks he’s got a path to be confirmed, as he told Laura Ingraham on Friday.
Hegseth was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq after serving in the infantry. He was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman Badge. He wants to restore “woke policies” at the Pentagon, and to refocus the military. He has a limited management experience and is expected to be the main player when the hearing takes place.
The public hearing will be important as Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Lisa Murisk, R-Alaska, have signaled.
Hegseth’s prospects improved once Trump backed him publicly in his first post-election broadcast interview, invited him to the Army-Navy game last month and urged GOP lawmakers to get in line. In recent weeks, Trump allies targeted wavering Republicans in a campaign that threatened to get primary challengers to run against anyone who opposed him. Trump supporters have also dismissed news reports about his past behavior, saying the information has come primarily from anonymous sources.
His lawyer has said that he secured a non-disclosure agreement, paid the woman in settlement and denied the assault allegation. He’s going to go without alcohol if he’s confirmed as defense secretary.
In the months after his nomination, HeGSeth’s nomination appeared to be in trouble. Senate Republicans openly expressed concerns about a potential drinking problem, previous statements about women serving in combat and allegations of sexual misconduct. Some news outlets reported the transition was reviewing back up nominees for the post as the questions swirled.
They have made allegations of inappropriate conduct with staff and drinking on the job. Former colleagues at Fox News have also alleged he acted inappropriately when he was drinking.
Pete Hegseth, the former host of Fox News and veteran of the Army National Guard, is on a mission to get his job as Donald Trump’s defense secretary.
What does this role do: The defense secretary oversees the U.S. armed forces, second only to the president as the commander in chief, and is a senior member of the Cabinet.
“I’m all a good Democrat, but what is a little different about the secretary of state,” says Hegseth
The Democrats plan on pressing Hegseth on a number of issues including his experience leading a department with 3 million employees and news reports about mismanagement at the non-profit he led.
Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., told reporters he was going to look over the questions that HegSeth had submitted. “I’m interested in hearing what he has to say about his life as an adult and his career as a professional, both of which are very important to me; it’s a very hard job and he has prepared himself for that.”
Democrats pressed for the FBI’s check to be reviewed after the Trump transition had agreed to give it to the Chairman and the top Democrat on the panel.
The job of the secretary of state is to oversee U.S. foreign policy, but Trump has already made some changes to that role by appointing special envoys for countries such as Gaza and Lebanon. Richard Grenell, who was once in the running for Secretary of State, was named as an envoy for “special missions.” “Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea,” Trump said in a posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, announcing the appointment.
The outgoing Biden administration has made it a priority to build up alliances in Asia to counter China’s rise. The secretary of state has set up an office that draws on experts from across the US in order to focus on China. That may be one office that Rubio will want to keep.
travel to China may be difficult because of the sanctions on Rubio. Rubio has accused China of a “grotesque campaign of genocide” against Uyghur Muslims and he wrote legislation that banned imports from the Xinjiang region. This human rights advocacy and the signing of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act into law have put him at odds with Musk, who opened a dealership in the Middle East soon after.
He may face tough questions about why he voted against aid to Ukraine last year despite his previous opposition to the war in Russia. He may face questions about his foreign policy views and the way they clash with Trump’s.
His relations with Trump have been not very positive. In 2016, Rubio told voters they should not back Trump as candidate for president, saying “friends do not let friends vote for con artists.” The man was dismissed as “Little Marco” by Trump, who made him a key part of his campaign in the years to come.
Among President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks, secretary of state nominee Marco Rubio may face the easiest confirmation process. The lawmaker who will be questioning him on Wednesday is well-known because he is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
If confirmed, the 53-year-old Florida Republican would be the first Latino to serve as America’s top diplomat. The son of Cuban immigrants was elected to the US Senate in 2010 and gained a reputation as a hardline voice on issues such as China, Cuba, Venezuela and Iran.