Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense was on fire at his
confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, defending himself against the smears and innuendos that have dogged his candidacy and torching the Democrats’ failed leadership of our armed forces.
Despite disgusting and unhinged lines of questioning from committee Democrats, Hegseth's intellect, passion, professionalism, and love of country were on full display.
Here are the highlights of Pete Hegseth’s January 14, 2025 confirmation hearing:
Hegseth dismantled the coordinated smear campaign against him: "A small handful of anonymous sources were allowed to drive a smear campaign and agenda about me because our left-wing media in America today, sadly, doesn't care about the truth. All they were out to do, Mr. Chairman, was to destroy me. And why do they want to destroy me? Because I'm a change agent and a threat to them."
Hegseth decried the lack of accountability for Biden's botched Afghanistan withdrawal: "There has been NO accountability for the disaster of the withdrawal in Afghanistan — and that's precisely why we're here today ... Leadership has been unwilling to take accountability and it's time to restore that to our most senior ranks."
Hegseth outlined his mission to restore the "Warrior Ethos" to the Pentagon: "In doing so, we will reestablish trust in our military."
Hegseth crystalized the incoming Trump administration's focus: "[President Trump], like me, wants a Pentagon laser focused on lethality, meritocracy, war fighting, accountability and readiness."
Hegseth addressed his qualifications: "It is true that I don't have a similar biography to defense secretaries of the last 30 years ... We've repeatedly placed people atop the Pentagon with supposedly 'the right credentials' — whether they are retired generals, academics, or defense contractor executives, and where has it gotten us?"
Hegseth blasted political Pentagon leadership: "Politics has nothing to do with the battlefield, which is why President Trump has asked me to say, 'Let's make sure all of that comes out.' This is about warfighting capability, setting standards high, and making sure we give our men and women everything they need to be successful on the battlefield."
Hegseth repeatedly emphasized the importance of high standards: "Ensuring that standards are equal and high is of importance to [President Trump] and of great importance to me — because in those ground combat roles, what is true is that the weight of the ruck on your back doesn't change."
Hegseth directly addressed women who serve in the military: "I'm incredibly grateful for the two women who've served our military in uniform [on the committee] ... When I'm talking about that issue, it's not about the capabilities of men and women, it's about standards ... standards that we, unfortunately over time, have seen eroded in certain duty positions, in certain schools, in certain places."
Hegseth pledged to reinstate service members unfairly dismissed for refusing the COVID vaccine: "In President Trump's Defense Department, they will be apologized to, they will be reinstituted with pay and rank."
Hegseth emphasized the strategic importance of fiscal responsibility: "An audit is an issue of national security, and frankly respect to American taxpayers, who give $850 billion over to the Defense Department and expect that we know where that money goes ... I think previous Secretaries of Defense, with all due respect, haven't necessarily emphasized the strategic prerogative of an audit."
Hegseth described President Trump's support for military: "Our warfighters understand what commander-in-chief they're going to get with President Trump: someone who stands behind them, someone who gives them clear missions, someone who ends wars decisively."
We urge all CHQ readers and friends to share this important information widely. The Capitol Switchboard is (202-224-3121), we urge CHQ readers and friends to call their Senators TODAY to demand they vote to confirm Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, Pam Bondi, for Attorney General, Kristi Noem for Secretary of the Dept. of Homeland Security, John Ratcliffe for Director of the CIA, Marco Rubio for Secretary of State and our good friend and conservative rock star Russ Vought for Director of the Office of Management and Budget, among others have their first confirmation hearings scheduled for this week.
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