Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be Defense secretary, appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing, where he faced tough questions on his views on various issues, including his stance on veterans’ benefits and diversity initiatives in the military.
Hegseth was pressed by Sen. Jackie Rosen on whether he would support certain benefits for veterans, specifically those who have served through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Hegseth had previously criticized some provisions of the VA, leading Sen. Rosen to express concern that he might not prioritize these benefits. Hegseth responded that he thinks the VA is important, but his answers were unclear, according to Sen. Rosen.
Additionally, Sen. Tommy Tuberville raised concerns about diversity initiatives, suggesting that they may have deterred some individuals, particularly young men, from serving in the military. He shared a personal anecdote about a young man who had wanted to attend West Point but was deterred due to concerns about diversity initiatives.