This publish has been up to date with statements from Sen. Roger Wicker and Sen. Jack Reed.
The Senate on Friday confirmed Pete Hegseth, a former Fox Information host and member of the Nationwide Guard, to function the following Secretary of Protection in a 51 to 50 resolution late Friday with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the ultimate vote.
The vote was largely break up throughout social gathering strains, with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) breaking with Republicans to vote in opposition to Hegseth. Murkowski and Collins raised issues over allegations of Hegseth’s poor therapy of girls and alcohol abuse.
Forward of his nomination to the highest Pentagon job, Hegseth has been a vocal critic of range, fairness and inclusion applications within the army and made a case in opposition to DEI efforts on the air and in his e book, “The Battle on Warriors.”
Throughout his Jan. 14, listening to earlier than the Senate Armed Companies Committee, Hegseth mentioned DEI applications politicize the army.
“In contrast to the present administration, politics ought to play no half in army issues. We aren’t Republicans or Democrats — we’re American warriors. Our requirements can be excessive, and they are going to be equal — not equitable, that could be a very completely different phrase,” Hegseth mentioned in his opening assertion for the affirmation listening to.
Unbiased of Hegseth, the Trump administration signed an government order this week to take away federal DEI applications and implored authorities staff to report applications and contracts that pursued DEI objectives beneath completely different names through nameless studies to the Workplace of Administration and Funds.
Moreover, Hegseth has known as for a evaluation of the {qualifications} of senior common and flag officers in all branches.
“Each single senior officer can be reviewed,” Hegseth instructed the panel.
In his e book, Hegseth wrote that the Biden administration selected Adm. Lisa Franchetti to function the Chief of Naval Operations over then U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Sam Paparo attributable to gender concerns. He mentioned Franchetti, the previous commander of U.S. sixth Fleet, lacked “fight expertise.”
On Monday, the performing secretary of the Division of Homeland Safety eliminated Adm. Linda Fagan from serving because the commandant of the Coast Guard attributable to delays in acquisition applications, failures to maintain out medication and unlawful migrants and for mishandling the Operation Fouled Anchor investigation into many years of sexual assault on the U.S Coast Guard Academy.
Senate Armed Companies Committee chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) praised the affirmation vote.
“Throughout probably the most harmful nationwide safety second since World Battle II, we can not wait one other minute to rebuild our army would possibly and put the warfighter first. I tremendously respect Mr. Hegseth’s dedication to the Senate’s constitutional advise-and-consent course of, and I’m excited to start our shared work to return deterrence to the Pentagon,” Wicker mentioned in a press release.
Rating member Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), who criticized Hegseth throughout his affirmation course of, pledged continued oversight.
“I opposed his nomination, however respect the end result of his affirmation. Nonetheless, I’m going to look at him like a hawk, as I’ve with earlier Secretaries from each events. I’ll level out the place we disagree. I’ll demand accountability,” Reed mentioned.
“My high precedence has at all times been nationwide safety, and partisanship has no place in that mission. I’ll at all times decide up the cellphone for Mr. Hegseth and search alternatives to work with the Secretary to strengthen and assist our army.”
