Quotes
Effective management of nearly 3 million military and civilian personnel, an annual budget of nearly $1 trillion, and alliances and partnerships around the world is a daily test with staggering consequences for the security of the American people and our global interests,
McConnell, who leads the panel that oversees Pentagon spending, said in a Friday statement The US military needs to confront the reality and perception that it has become too focused on political issues of social justice, political correctness, critical race theory, climate change, etc.,
Hegseth wrote in response to written questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee We have not had a secretary of defence like Hegseth before,
said Jeremi Suri, a University of Texas, Austin, history professor and presidential scholar Mere desire to be a ‘change agent’ is not enough to fill these shoes,
McConnell said in a statement It means certainly that Trump has enormous leverage over the Republican Party and over members of the Senate,
We've seen it happen in other places around the world, where militaries are undermined and subjected by political leaders that have a particular political point of view and passion, and they become essentially not an army but an extension of the political aspirations of the Great Leader. We can't see that here in America,
We undertook this responsibility with obligation to the troops to do right by them, for our war fighters. And what became very evident to us from the beginning, there was a coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media against us that was clear from moment one. And that it wasn't about me. Most of it was about President Donald Trump, who's had to endure the very same thing for much longer amounts of time, and he endured it — to his credit — in incredibly strong ways,
Hegseth said during his confirmation You lack the character and composure and competence to hold the positions of defense,
Mr. Hegseth will bring energy and fresh ideas to shake up the bureaucracy. He will focus relentlessly on the war fighter and the military's core missions, deterring wars and winning the ones we must fight,
Wicker said during the confirmation hearings Getting anything that doesn't contribute to our democracy out of how decisions are made inside the Pentagon. What gender you are. What race you are. Your views on climate change. Your conscience and your faith should have no bearing on whether you get promoted or whether you're selected to go to West Point or where you go to school. Only thing that should matter is, ‘How capable are you at your job? How excellent are you at your job?’
Asked how he sees his potential role, Hegseth replied We're hiring you to be the CEO of one of the most complex, largest organizations in the world. We're the board of directors here. I don't know of any corporate board of directors that would hire a CEO, that said, you know, ‘I supervised 100 people before,’
Democratic Senator Gary Peters For 12 years, you were quite open about your views — and your views were consistently the same: Women are inferior soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and Guardians. Then on November 9, 2024, just 32 days after your last public comments saying that women absolutely should not be in combat, you declare that ‘Some of our greatest warriors are women.’
I don't have a similar biography to defense secretaries of the last 30 years, ... But as President Trump also told me, we've repeatedly placed people atop the Pentagon with the supposed right of credentials, whether they are retired generals, academics or defense contractor executives. And where has it gotten us?"
Hegseth told senators in his opening statement There was no physical abuse in my marriage."
In a statement to NBC News, which first reported the story, Samantha Hegseth said Given the standards remain high, and we'll have a review to ensure standards have not been eroded in any one of these cases,
I thought I was done voting in the senate.
Upon hearing the outcome, Vance joked on social media After careful consideration, I have decided to vote against Pete Hegseth's nomination for Secretary of Defense.
Collins posted a similar tweet within just minutes of her fellow Republican And of course, Mitch is always a no vote, I guess,
Trump added, mentioning the former longtime Senate GOP Leader Once Pete Hegseth's nomination was sent to the floor by my colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I conducted my own due diligence, including asking tough questions of Pete and I appreciated his candor and openness in answering them.
Tills responded in a statement of his own, writing I was very surprised that Collins and Murkowski would do that,
the president told reporters of the two veteran senators from Alaska and Maine
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