Democrats are gearing up for a potentially “intense” confirmation hearing as they prepare to interrogate President-elect Donald Trump’s selection for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, during the session scheduled for Tuesday.
A number of panel members expressed their annoyance over not having been granted access to the FBI’s background investigation on Hegseth, marking a deviation from prior procedures for cabinet nominees.
Democratic senators on the Senate Armed Services Committee convened for a tactics session with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on the day before the hearing, leaving the discussion confident in their intention to rigorously question the former Fox News contributor and Army veteran regarding accusations of sexual and financial misconduct, as well as issues of alcohol misuse. Hegseth has consistently denied any allegations of misconduct.
“There are numerous concerning queries surrounding the Hegseth nomination,” Schumer remarked before the meeting, emphasizing that the Democrats intend to address him “on nearly all of these troubling elements. He is a nominee laden with complications.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) — who recently submitted a comprehensive 33-page letter detailing over 70 inquiries aimed at Hegseth — voiced skepticism regarding the completeness of the FBI report, highlighting that it breaks from the norm where only the committee chair and ranking member have access to its content.
“We all ought to have access to the report, enabling us to form our own assessments about its potential shortcomings,” she told reporters after the meeting. “Even in the limited scope it addresses, it reveals damaging information about Mr. Hegseth.”
Newly elected Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan, also stressed the need for access to the FBI report, stating: “It’s critical that we have full transparency regarding anything the FBI has gathered, especially when appointing someone to oversee a three-million-employee organization.”
“You know, we need individuals of integrity and capability, and thus, yes, I expect it will be a contentious discussion,” she added.
Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) mentioned that the report “poses significant queries,” but asserted that the committee will maintain an impartial stance in its questioning of Hegseth.
“We are, I hope, very well-prepared to be as neutral and fair as possible and to assess his qualifications for the role of Secretary of Defense, which encompasses both the competence to lead such entities and adherence to constitutional principles,” Reed stated.
Republicans have largely united behind Hegseth, who has engaged with many of his GOP critics since being nominated for the position. Additionally, grassroots mobilization has intensified to urge hesitant Republican lawmakers, with funding directed towards states like Iowa to increase pressure on Sen. Joni Ernst after she voiced her apprehensions about Hegseth’s background.
Each senator on the committee will be given seven minutes to interrogate Hegseth during the hearing, which is set to commence at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
