Trump’s Pentagon pick testifies amid claims of sexual assault and alcohol use

Washington: So, Pete Hegseth, right? He’s Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, and he just had his Senate confirmation hearing. But wow, the guy is under some serious fire. There are allegations flying around about sexual assault and drinking too much at work. Not exactly a great look, huh?

He can only lose three Republican votes if all the Democrats are against him. Some GOP folks are really worried about his past and how he views women in the military. It’s a bit of a mess.

The Senate armed services committee chair, Roger Wicker, even mentioned the criticism during the hearing. He said Hegseth has admitted to messing up sometimes, but he pointed out that most of the accusations are from anonymous sources. He tried to balance it by mentioning all the public support Hegseth has received.

But here’s the kicker: back in 2017, a woman accused Hegseth of sexual assault, claiming he blocked her from leaving a hotel room. He denies it, but his lawyer did say she got a settlement. That’s a big deal.

Then there’s this report from the New Yorker saying he often got so drunk at work events that he needed help getting home. Plus, there are claims he misused funds from a non-profit he led. Yikes!

Hegseth has also stirred the pot by saying women shouldn’t be in combat roles and criticizing the inclusion of gay troops. He’s tried to walk back those comments lately, but the damage is done.

In a Wall Street Journal piece, he pushed back against the criticism, calling it a “manufactured media takedown.” He claims there’s no evidence and that people are just trying to make him look bad.

Despite all this drama, some of Trump’s allies in the Senate think he’ll get confirmed. John Thune, the Senate majority leader, told Trump he’s got the votes. So, it seems like they’re feeling pretty optimistic.

But not everyone is on board. Jack Reed, a top Democrat, met with Hegseth and wasn’t convinced he’s fit for the job. He made it clear that Hegseth’s past behavior raises serious red flags.

Before the hearing, Elizabeth Warren sent Hegseth a long letter with a ton of questions about his history and views. She’s clearly not a fan and thinks he’s unfit to lead the Department of Defense.

Democrats are also pretty upset about how the confirmation hearings are being handled, accusing Republicans of rushing things. Chuck Schumer even said the American people deserve to know what’s going on with these nominees.

Looks like there’s a lot more to come as Trump’s cabinet nominees head to their hearings before he officially takes office. Buckle up!