Senators Challenge Hegseth, As He Rails Against ‘Wokeness’ in the US Military
Roles of women, LGBTQ Americans at issue during contentious confirmation hearing
While Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Defense Department (DOD) spent his confirmation hearing ranting about so-called “wokeness” in the US military, Democratic members of the Senate Armed Services Committee challenged him on his views on women and LGBTQ+ Americans serving in the armed forces.
Republicans on the committee, however, largely supported Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News host who Trump chose as the next defense secretary, and who has been facing sustained allegations of excessive drinking and sexual assault.
Although he spent a number of years serving in the military, Hegseth has no substantial military leadership experience.
He spent his time during the Tuesday hearing going on about baseless claims about “wokeness” and “DEI” — diversity, inclusion and equity — in the US military.
“The wokeness comes not from the uniform ranked senator, but from the political class. On day one, on January 20, when President Trump is sworn in, he will issue a new set of lawful orders, and the leadership of our services will have an opportunity to follow those lawful orders or not,” Hegseth said. “Those lawful orders will not be based on politics, they will be based on readiness, accountability, standards, and lethality. That is the process by which leaders will be judged.
“And accountability is coming. Because everybody in this room knows, if you’re a rifleman and you lose your rifle, they’re throwing the book at you. But if you’re a general who loses a war, you get a promotion,” he added. “That’s not going to happen in Donald Trump’s Pentagon. There will be real standards for success.
“Everyone from the top, from the most senior general to the most lowly private, will ensure that they’re treated fairly, men and women, inside that system.”
Most of the substantive questioning Hegseth faced was from combative Democrats.
Hegseth has spoken publicly against women and LGBTQ Americans serving in the military.
“So women you have denigrated. You have also denigrated members of the LGBTQ community. Did you know that when ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was in in place, we lost so many crucial personnel, over a thousand, in mission-critical areas. We lost 10 percent of all our foreign language speakers because of a political policy,” said Sen Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). “You said in your statement you don’t want politics in the DOD. Everything you’ve said in these public statements is politics. ‘I don’t want women, I don’t want moms.’ What’s wrong with a mom, by the way? Once you have babies, you therefore are no longer able to be lethal? I mean, you’re basically saying women, after they have children, can’t ever serve in the military to combat role. It’s a silly thing to say. It’s a silly thing to say, beneath the position that you are aspiring to.
“To denigrate LGBTQ service members is a mistake. If you are a sharpshooter, you are as lethal regardless of what your gender identity is, regardless of who you love. So please know this to be a true statement,” she added.
The only Republican senator to challenge Hegseth was Sen Joni Ernst, of Iowa, herself a military veteran.
She asked Hegseth if women would continue to have access to combat positions under his leadership.
“Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles, combat roles given the standards remain high and we’ll have a review to ensure the standards have not been eroded,” he replied.
Under questioning by Ernst, Hegseth also pledged to appoint a senior level official dedicated to sexual assault prevention and response.
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