A senator told Hegseth: "I suggest you do a little homework before you prepare for these types of negotiations."

Sen. Blumenthal grilled SecDef nominee Pete Hegseth on his qualifications despite reaffirming current support for the job SecDef Lloyd Austin has done.

Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski — who broke with her party on numerous occasions to support former President Joe Biden’s nominees — became the first Republican senator to publicly oppose Pete Hegseth’s nomination to serve as Defense secretary.

Hegseth wants to restore honor to Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg, the native North Carolinian whose name was replaced at Fort Bragg last year. | Opinion

When President Trump chose me for this position, the primary charge he gave me was — to bring the warrior culture back to the Department of Defense,” Pete Hegseth said in his confirmation

A telling moment in the supremely depressing Senate confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, the Fox News personality who is Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, came right at the beginning, when the former Republican senator Norm Coleman introduced him.

Pete Hegseth must be approved by the GOP-led Senate Armed Services Committee before he can go before the full Senate for confirmation.

Hegseth would not be the first defense secretary to have served in combat — far from it. An array of previous secretaries have had combat service, dodging bombs and leading troops into the fight, including current Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ...

A cursory review of Hegseth’s background reveals he has little knowledge or experience of complex national security issues.

Wicker did not specify what day the vote would take place, but said it could be as late as next Thursday if Senate Democrats do not allow the chamber to speed up the confirmation process.

Democrats say Hegseth’s lack of experience, his past comments about women and Black troops and allegations of excessive drinking, and sexual misconduct, make him unfit to serve.

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, said in his Senate confirmation hearing that the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel were the direct result of President Biden’s 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.