Four takeaways from Hegseth’s confirmation hearing

Pete Hegseth’s four-hour hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday was extremely contentious. Democrats derided him as unqualified to oversee the Defense Department’s three million employees and $849 billion budget. Republicans acknowledged that he was an unconventional choice, but suggested that it could be just what the Pentagon needs.

Here are four conclusions from the hearing:

Hegseth looks like he has enough votes to get out of the board.

Despite all the fireworks during the proceedings, it appears that Mr. Hegseth has the votes he needs to move on. None of his answers seemed to upset the Republicans who control the committee.

The vote is scheduled for Monday.

Sen. Joni Ernst, Republican of Iowa, indicated how things would go for him at the start of the question. Her voice is considered crucial as she is a veteran and has also fought for greater protections against sexual assault in the military.

Just six weeks ago, Ms. Ernst expressed reservations about Mr. Hegseth’s qualifications. Since then, she has been the subject of intense lobbying by conservative groups on his behalf.

She has not yet said which way she will vote, but she used the time at the hearing to help him.

She repeatedly pressed him on the importance of the Pentagon audit – a relatively safe topic. She also urged him to repeat promises she said he had made to her privately about appointing a senior officer to strengthen her work to date to prevent sexual assault and rape in the military.

Her relatively gentle questioning suggests that Mr. Hegseth on track to be confirmed by the full Senate, barring new developments.

Hegseth presented his life as a story of redemption.

Mr. Hegseth has repeatedly declined to say whether an allegation of sexual assault or heavy drinking or marital infidelity should disqualify someone from running the Pentagon. He also did not promise to resign if he broke his promise not to drink if confirmed.

In general, he sidestepped specific allegations about his personal conduct, simply claiming that he was the victim of false accusations from anonymous sources, peddled by media organizations he said were determined to destroy him.

“I’m not a perfect person, but redemption is real.” he said at one point. He also said, “I have failed at things in my life and fortunately my Lord and Savior Jesus has redeemed me.”

The only senator who seemed to get under his skin was Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia. Mr. Kaine pressed him about allegations that he raped a woman in 2017 in Monterey, California, while he was married to his second wife and two months after his girlfriend, now his third wife, gave birth to a child.

The episode did not result in criminal charges. Mr. Hegseth, who said the encounter was consensual, paid the woman an undisclosed amount in the settlement.

“So you think you’re completely absolved because you haven’t committed any crime?” Mr. Kaine demanded. “How do you explain your judgment?”

He faced fierce questioning about his views on women in combat.

Some of the most difficult questions related to the previous statements of Mr. Hegseth that women should not serve in combat roles. Democratic senators accused him of changing those views solely in the hope of winning a cabinet seat.

Mr Hegseth said: “Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles, given that standards remain high, and we will have a review to ensure that standards are not undermined.”

Democratic women especially attacked him because of his earlier comments. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York sounded particularly angry, saying his remarks were “brutal and vicious and disrespectful to the men and women who are willing to die for this country.”

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, questioned whether women would have a fair shot at promotion if he led the Pentagon, given his earlier suggestions to make the military a less lethal force. He said he would.

Republicans praised his communication skills, honed as a television host.

Mr Hegseth and his Republican allies on the panel argued that his lack of experience compared with previous defense secretaries would be a plus.

Mr Hegseth said: “As President Trump also told me, we have repeatedly put people in charge of the Pentagon with supposedly genuine credentials, whether they are retired generals, academics or military contractor executives. And where did that get us?”

Republican senators praised his communication skills. After running two small non-profit organizations, both of which ended up in debt, Mr. Hegseth was the weekend host of “Fox & Friends” for seven years.

During the hearing, he generally spoke confidently, usually revealing little evidence that he was upset.

Democrats said his answers showed a lack of experience.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat who is also a veteran, gave him a foreign affairs quiz of sorts, asking him to name the countries in ASEAN — the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He couldn’t. At another point, she told him, “Do a little homework” before such sessions.