Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Upcoming Confirmation Hearing Of Pete Hegseth To Be Secretary Of Defense

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the confirmation hearing of President-elect Trump’s Secretary of Defense pick Pete Hegseth, emphasizing the importance of a thorough and complete nominations process to appropriately consider Mr. Hegseth’s fitness for this crucial role. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Tomorrow’s hearing with Pete Hegseth is a good example of why a thorough and tough nominations process is so important.

Mr. Hegseth is Donald Trump’s pick to be Secretary of Defense, arguably the most important position in the entire Cabinet.

If confirmed, Mr. Hegseth would oversee a workforce of over three million people and handle issues of life and death on a regular basis. His job will be to keep our troops safe and keep our country safe. If there’s any Cabinet position that ought to have a steady and drama-free individual, it is certainly Secretary of Defense.

Unfortunately, Mr. Hegseth’s background is deeply troubling, to put it generously. We have all read the reports about his radical views, his alleged excessive drinking, the allegations about sexual assault, and his failures in the financial stewardship of multiple organizations.

These are such serious allegations for such an important job. So, why would the Armed Services Committee wish to rush through these hearings, particularly when the documents are not available to all the members of the committee, including the FBI background check?

Mr. Hegseth will have an opportunity to answer questions about these allegations and about his record, as well as his views. He can expect his hearing to be tough but respectful, candid but fair.

The stakes during tomorrow’s hearing will be very high not just for the nominee, but for the entire country. It’s not hard to imagine an emergency situation where the Secretary of Defense has to make quick and steady decisions about our military. Is someone with Pete Hegseth’s alleged history really the kind of person we want at the helm in a very, very important situation, a dangerous situation, like that? Is that really in the best interest of Americans’ safety? That is something Senators should ask themselves during tomorrow’s hearing, and of course they should ask Mr. Hegseth questions about it.

When it comes to a job like Secretary of Defense, there can be zero question – zero – that the nominee is up for the job. Unfortunately, Mr. Hegseth’s record leaves too many unanswered questions. Let's hope we get real answers and real documentation before anyone votes for Mr. Hegseth for Secretary of Defense.

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