On Tuesday morning, senators began a confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, who President-elect Donald Trump nominated as defense secretary. Since his nomination in November, Hegseth, a veteran who worked as a Fox News host before his nomination, has faced allegations of serious misconduct, questions about his qualifications and scrutiny over extremist views.

Hegseth dismisses multiple allegations as ‘smear campaign’

Hegseth appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee, making him the first nominee for Trump’s second term to face a hearing over his nomination. Various accusations against Hegseth emerged after his nomination announcement. Among the topics raised in the hearing were a reported sexual assault alleged against Hegseth, allegations that he mismanaged the funds of a veteran advocacy organization that he ran and accusations from former coworkers that he would drink excessively at business functions. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the committee chair, raised several of the allegations that have been made against Hegseth, asking the nominee to address “this allegation about, um, sexual assault, inappropriate workplace behavior, alcohol abuse, and financial mismanagement …,” with Hegseth dismissing the many allegations against him as a “coordinated smear campaign.”

Hegseth called ‘a misogynist’ by protestor, grilled over sexual assault allegation

Hegseth’s opening statement was interrupted by three separate demonstrators, each shouting from the gallery and were forcibly removed by security.

“You are a misogynist!” the first protestor yelled.

The accusation from the protestor may have been about an allegation that Hegseth raped a woman he met at a Republican women’s conference in 2017; police investigated the incident but declined to pursue charges, and Hesgeth has claimed the encounter was consensual. In Tuesday’s hearing, Hegseth argued that he was “falsely accused in October 2017. It was fully investigated. And I was completely cleared.” Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) disputed that characterization, pointing out that he reached a financial settlement and non-disclosure agreement with his accuser.

Questioned over social views and agenda for the military

Hegseth has also been questioned for his political views and agenda for the military, characterized as extremist by his critics. Hegseth has been accused of holding extremist religious views. He has objected to women serving in combat roles, criticized transgender people serving in the military, and said that the Trump administration should fire any general or military leader “involved in any of the DEI woke s**t has got to go.” In his hearing, Hegseth defended his views, framing them not as opposition to women in military roles but to changing standards within the military. Democratic senators pushed back against the idea that military standards have been changed.

“That does not exist,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said after Hegseth claimed quotas for women in the military.

So far, the hearing for Hegseth has proceeded along party lines, with Democrats grilling the nominee on the multiple accusations and concerns raised against him and Republicans dismissing the allegations. With experts and pundits questioning the qualifications and experience of Hegseth and several other Trump nominees, expect this and future hearings to remain contentious.

Pete Hegseth