Pete Hegseth weathered repeated efforts by Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee to assail his lack of qualifications to lead the Pentagon on Tuesday, buoyed by praise from Republicans of President-elect Donald Trump’s “out-of-the-box” pick to serve as secretary of Defense.
Partisan lines of support and hostility appeared to solidify as Hegseth faced nearly five hours of questions during his confirmation hearing. Democrats focused on his previous derogatory comments toward women in combat, his lack of experience leading a large organization, and the storm of allegations that has dogged him for months.
Republicans on the panel warmed to the combat veteran and former Fox News host. Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who until the hearing had been generally supportive of Hegseth but not ardent, threw his full-throated support behind Hegseth at the hearing’s outset.
