Pete Hegseth – Trump’s pick for the Defense Department – to appear at confirmation hearing today

Hegseth will be one of a dozen Trump nominees to face the Senate in the coming days.

Doug Collins is Trump’s choice to head the Department of Veterans Affairs. He was previously North Dakota Governor. Doug Burgum and former North Dakota Gov. Doug Collins, Trump’s nominee for interior secretary, had been scheduled to appear in front of Senate committees Tuesday. However, their appearances have now been postponed.

Seven nominees are scheduled to appear at confirmation hearings on Wednesday. These include Sen. Marco Rubio (Trump’s choice for Secretary of State), Pam Bondi (Trump’s nominee for Attorney General), and Gov. Kristi Noem is the nominee for the Department of Homeland Security.

Here is the complete schedule for Trump’s confirmation hearings.

Hegseth grew up Minnesotan and graduated in 2003 from Princeton University. He was in the Army National Guard for three years in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo. In 2021, he retired with the rank of Major, earning two Bronze Stars.

Hegseth is the author of a number books, and has led two veteran advocacy groups. He holds a Harvard University master’s in public policy.

In 2014, he began contributing to Fox News. He then took over the co-hosting duties of “Fox and Friends”, the weekend edition.

Trump called Hegseth a “Warrior of the Troops” when he selected him for the top position at the Pentagon. He added that “Pete’s tough, smart, and a firm believer in America First.” Hegseth is portrayed by Trump’s allies as a leader who is focused on lethality, has first-hand experience in combat and can help the Pentagon move away from the “woke” personnel policy of the Biden Administration.

Hegseth and Jennifer Rauchet, a Fox News producer, were married in 2019 after divorces in 2017 and 2009. He is the father of four biological children, and a stepfather for three others.

The Defense Secretary nominee has been subjected to a cascade of scrutiny, including his personal life, level of experience, and controversial positions, such as that women shouldn’t serve in combat roles within the U.S. Military.

Hegseth is under intense scrutiny for an alleged sexual attack, as well as allegations of excessive alcohol consumption and financial mismanagement by a veterans organization. Hegseth denies the allegations.

Hegseth’s attorney admitted that, shortly after Trump made his announcement in November, he secretly had paid to a woman accusing him of sexual assault at a Republican Women’s Banquet in Monterey in 2017.

In response to a public records request, a report was released in November detailing the incident. The alleged victim told police Hegseth had sexually assaulted them. According to the investigation report, the woman claimed that Hegseth had taken her phone and blocked the door of a hotel room, refusing to let her go. Hegseth claimed that the interaction with the woman was consensual, and he said he had checked several times to ensure the woman’s comfort.

Hegseth also received criticism over allegations about his departure from Concerned Veterans of America. He left the organization amid allegations of mismanagement of finances, repeated incidents of alcoholism and sexual impropriety.

Hegseth will be grilled by Democrats in the Senate Armed Services Committee during the hearing on Tuesday. Hegseth is also expected to try to reassure Republicans who expressed concerns about the allegations when weighing his nomination.