Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, said Tuesday that he would treat women and minorities fairly if confirmed for the job, but added that he would review military standards that prioritize gender or race. .
“I would be honored to have the opportunity to serve alongside you, shoulder to shoulder, men and women, black, white, of all backgrounds with a shared purpose,” Hegseth said when asked what her message was to women. who currently serve in the Army.
“They will be treated fairly and with dignity, honor and respect,” Hegseth added when speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Hegseth came under fire during his confirmation hearing Tuesday, when the top Democrat on the Senate committee accused him of lacking the “character and composure” needed to lead the U.S. military.
“Mr. Hegseth, I do not believe you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job,” said Senator Jack Reed, the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Reed criticized an FBI investigation into Hegseth’s past, saying it did not sufficiently investigate the extensive allegations against him.
Several episodes have raised concerns among lawmakers, including a 2017 sexual assault allegation against Hegseth that did not result in charges and which he strongly denies, and accusations of excessive alcohol consumption and financial mismanagement at veterans organizations.
Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand criticized Hegseth’s previous comments about women in the US military, saying he would have to fundamentally change the way he views the women who make up 18 percent of the US military.
Protesters repeatedly interrupted Hegseth’s opening remarks to the commission, in which he praised Trump. He promised to restore a “warrior culture” in the US Army.
“(Trump) believes, and I humbly agree, that it’s time to hand the helm to someone with dust on his boots. An agent of change,” Hegseth said.
Hegseth, a 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran and former host of Fox News Channel’s weekend shows, has faced heavy criticism from Democrats for his thin resume compared to previous defense secretaries, along with accusations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and mismanagement of veterans organizations’ finances, all of which he denies.
Many Republicans have openly supported Hegseth’s nomination, but others have remained evasive as reports of his past behavior emerged.
President-elect Donald Trump has continued to strongly support Hegseth, who has worked to curry favor with Senate Republicans in one-on-one meetings over the past month.
[Con información de Reuters y The Associated Press]
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