Secretary of Protection-designate Pete Hegseth argued Monday that his feedback about ladies within the army have been “misconstrued,” earlier than pledging to be a “secretary for all our warriors.”
“I also want an opportunity here to clarify comments that have been misconstrued, that I somehow don’t support women in the military,” the 44-year-old Military veteran advised Fox Information host Sean Hannity.
“Some of our greatest warriors, our best warriors out there, are women,” Hegseth mentioned, noting that feminine service members defend the nation “every single day around the globe.”
Ought to he be confirmed within the Senate, Hegseth mentioned he seems “forward to being a secretary for all our warriors, men and women, for the amazing contributions they make in our military.”
Throughout a Nov. 7 look on the “Sean Ryan Show” podcast, simply days earlier than he was tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to guide the Pentagon, Hegseth argued that ladies shouldn’t serve in army fight roles.
“I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles,” he mentioned on the podcast. “It hasn’t made us more effective. Hasn’t made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated.”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), an Military veteran herself, famous over the weekend that she wish to hear extra about Hegseth’s views on ladies in fight earlier than supporting his nomination.
The pair met for no less than the second time on Capitol Hill Monday in what Hegseth described as a “great meeting.”
“People don’t really know this – I’ve known Senator Ernst for over ten years,” Hegseth advised Hannity. “I knew her when she was a state senator, running to be the first female combat veteran, and we supported her in that effort and have continued to.”
Trump’s prime Pentagon choose indicated that he has relished the chance to debate key Division of Protection points with senators, like Ernst, all through the advise and consent course of.
“The fact that she’s willing to support me through this process means a lot,” Hegseth mentioned of Ernst.
The 54-year-old Ernst on Monday described her discussions with Hegseth as “encouraging” — and echoed his frustrations with nameless sources attacking his private historical past.
“I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst, who sits on the Senate Armed Providers Committee, mentioned in a press release. “I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.”
Hegseth advised Hannity that he’s “looking forward” to having an FBI run a background test on him as a part of the affirmation course of, as a result of he believes it would dispel claims that he sexually assaulted a lady in 2017.
A lawyer for Hegseth confirmed final month that the previous Fox Information persona paid an undisclosed quantity to a lady who accused him of sexual assault, an encounter which he maintains was consensual.
“It was fully investigated at the time, years ago, and I was completely cleared,” Hegseth advised Hannity. “And that’s why, Sean, you know what I look forward to? I’m looking forward to the FBI background check. I look forward to the actual under oath conversations with senators as we go through the process, because, again, this is what the left does, Sean – It’s the anatomy of a smear.”
Hegseth revealed that he has a number of extra conferences on Capitol Hill scheduled this week, together with with average Republicans essential to his affirmation.
“We can be assembly with [Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)] on Wednesday and [Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)] on Tuesday, he mentioned.
If all Democrats vote in opposition to his affirmation, Hegseth can solely lose three Republican votes or his nomination is sunk.
