A Democrat Reply to the Critique of the Pentagon Apparent “Fake News” Correspondence between Lloyd J. Austin III and Betsy DeVos
Nearly all recent defense secretaries have sailed through their final votes. Lloyd J. Austin III was confirmed on a 93-to-2 vote. The Senate voted 98 to 1 to confirm Jim Mattis, the president’s first Pentagon chief, and 90 to 8 to replace him.
During the first Trump term, VP Mike Pence cast a vote to confirm Betsy DeVos, who became education secretary, breaking a tie.
Three Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing the confirmation of Mr. HeGSeth, forcing the Vice President to cast a tiebreaking vote.
A former sister-in-law of Mr. Hegseth told the Senate that he was drunk and abusive towards his second wife. Mr. Hegseth has denied the account, along with other accusations.
The 44-year-old Hegseth, a Army National Guard combat veteran and a former Fox News host, has no experience running a large organization, and during his confirmation hearing he addressed that, saying he had a different background. He referred to the “dust on his boots” from his combat deployments to Iraq and vowing to be a “change agent” and “disruptor,” at the Pentagon.
The Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, said Hegseth’s work as a Fox News host could be beneficial in his new role at the Pentagon.
As secretary of defense, we need a top-shelf communications person. No official plays a larger role in educating the public about the threats we face and the need for a peace-through-strength defense policy than the president.
Hegseth wants to restore lethality to the military because he believes diversity equity and inclusion programs have taken the place of a focus on war fighting. He pledged to make sure promotions are based on merit alone and not what he incorrectly describes as quotas for women and minorities.
At his recent confirmation hearings to lead the Pentagon he was challenged over his allegations of a quota system. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., holding a copy of the current military standards for men and women serving in the infantry, said, “Commanders do not have to meet quotas for women in the infantry. That does not exist. Your statements make them look like they exist. They do not.
He has also criticized senior Pentagon leaders, including Joint Chiefs Chairman General CQ Brown — the second African American man to hold the job — as well as Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to lead the Navy.
“First of all, you got to fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Any general that was involved, general, admiral, whatever, that was involved in any of the DEI woke s*** has got to go,” Hegseth said on the Shawn Ryan Show.
The Pentagon was stunned by the comments as they believed Hegst would start firing senior officers. According to The Melting Point, there were attempts by the first Trump administration to get their officers in command during the waning days of the administration.
“This was overpoliticization of the officer corps and it’s dangers to the future of the U.S. military couldn’t be more dangerous,” McKenzie wrote. There were no proposed personnel changes in the end.
He said we shouldn’t have women in combat roles. “It doesn’t make us more effective, doesn’t make us lethal, and it makes fighting more complicated.”
Women have been eligible for ground combat jobs since 2016. There are over 3000 women in the Army. Another 700 women are in Marine ground combat units.
“Every service member, regardless of gender, who can meet objective occupational and readiness standards for a career field should have the opportunity to compete for jobs in that field,” Hegseth told the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month.
It is true that the weight of the ruck on your back does not change and that the weight of the 155 round that you carry does not change in those ground combat roles. And so, whether it’s a man or a woman, they have to meet the same high standards,” he said.
Still, Hegseth has charged that standards have been lowered to allow more women into Army ground combat units, a view strongly disputed by Army officials. Hegseth has pledged to review the standards as secretary.
Military assistance to the southern border will be an immediate focus of Hegseth. Some 1,500 troops are currently deployed to assist border patrol, with jobs that include building barriers and providing transportation. Thousands of troops are expected to be sent by the Pentagon in the coming months.
Pete Hegseth is Confirmed as Defense Secretary by Slim Margin: An affidavit from his brother-in-law
Relations between the U.S. and NATO members is one of the issues that is likely to come up. In the past he has criticized the alliance for not spending enough for their own defense and recently called for alliance members to spend five percent of their GDP on defense. Less than 3% of the U.S. budget is spent on defense.
After the vote, she said that she submitted her affidavit because she had beenassured that her vote would be swayed. “There are many reasons women are reluctant to come forward, by name, and tell the truth about a powerful man like him,” she said. Women who have been victims of abuse and mistreatment will be less forthcoming.
Mr. McConnell stated that Mr. Hegseth lacked the experience to handle the Defense Secretary’s job.
Opponents of Mr. Hegseth’s confirmation had fervently hoped to win over a fourth Republican, Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina. The allegations against Mr. Hegseth were included in the affidavit from his brother-in-law. He seemed to change his mind, and voted in favor of confirmation.
“Pete has a unique perspective as a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and is unquestionably passionate about modernizing our military and supporting the brave patriots like himself who serve our nation,” he said in a statement explaining his choice. He added that he would “look forward to working with him to rebuild our military and advance President Trump’s peace through strength agenda.”
What Happened When President Trump and Pete Hegseth Left their State: Their Relationships, Their Reputations and Their Implications
There have been exceptions. Chuck Hagel, a former Republican senator, won a narrow victory in 2013 despite opposition from 41 members of his own party over his skeptical views on the Iraq war. John G. Tower, the nominee of President George H.W. Bush, was defeated in a 47-to-53 vote in 1989 amid allegations of alcohol abuse and womanizing.
Mr. Hagel never really recovered from his Senate bruising and resigned under pressure two years into his term. Two years later, Mr. Mattis resigned and Mr. Trump fired Mr. Esper after a social media post.
In public, the second wife of Mr. Hegseth said that he never physically abused her. According to a person with knowledge of the findings, a Trump transition official told the leaders of theArmed Services Committee last week that she had told the F.B.I. Mr. Hegseth drank to excess and continued to do so.
Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the armed services panel, who was briefed on the findings, said reporters’ characterizations of the findings were “true and accurate.” Republican Senator Roger Wicker, who chaired the panel, called those characterizations “stark” and “factual” after being briefed.
And on Thursday, the office of Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, shared written answers to questions she put to Mr. Hegseth, in which he disclosed that he paid $50,000 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017.
Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the armed services panel, said in a statement that he would point out where they disagreed and he would watch him like a hawk. I will demand accountability.
Roger Wicker, a Republican of Mississippi and chairman of the armed services panel, said that President Trump and Pete Hegseth have brought peace back to the country.
