LETTING HIM HAVE IT

‘11th Hour Conversion’: Female Senators Line Up to Savage Hegseth’s ‘Brutal’ Take on Women in Combat

The defense secretary hopeful was grilled for saying in years past that women did not belong on the battlefield in certain roles.

Pete Hegseth was grilled during his Senate confirmation hearing over his comments about women not belonging in certain battlefield roles.

New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen sarcastically thanked the defense secretary hopeful for his “11th-hour conversion” after he told the Democrat he would be “honored” to serve alongside her and other women in the military.

Shaheen said Hegseth’s previous comments against women serving were “surprising” from someone who hopes to lead the U.S. Military and the hundreds of thousands of women who make it up. She pointed out that Hegseth had spoken against women in combat as recently as November—the same month he was announced as Donald Trump’s appointee.

Shaheen quoted Hegseth as remarking on a podcast: “I’m straight up saying that we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective.”

She then asked the Trump appointee, “Should we take it to believe that you believe that the two women on this committee who have served honorably and with distinction made our military less effective and less capable?”

Hegseth said Shaheen’s service was an “indispensable contribution.” He then claimed that his comments were not against women service members outright—just that he wants there to be a similar standard across the board.

“It’s about standards,” he said. “And this committee has talked a lot about standards. Standards that we—unfortunately, over time—have seen eroded in certain duty positions, certain schools, certain places, which affects readiness, which is what I care about the most. Readiness on the battlefield.”

Shaheen interrupted Hegseth to bring up old comments that contradicted what he just said.

“Your statements publicly have not been to that effect,” she said.

She then offered up another longwinded question for the former Fox News commentator and U.S. Army veteran: “So what I am confused about, Mr. Hegseth, is which is it? Why should women in our military, if you were the Secretary of Defense, believe that they would have a fair shot and an equal opportunity to rise through the ranks?”

He responded: “Our differences are not what define us. Our unity and our shared purpose is what define us. And you will be treated fairly and with dignity, honor and respect, just like every man and woman in uniform.”

That answer did not quell the issue, however.

Next up was Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democratic senator from New York. She told Hegseth his comments against women in combat were “brutal,” “mean,” and were disrespectful to the “men and women who are willing to die for this country.”

“We want the most lethal force,” she said. “But I’m telling you—having been here for 15 years listening to testimony about men and women in combat and the type of operations that were successful in Afghanistan and in Iraq—women were essential for many of those units.”

The senator said it was ridiculous that Hegseth once commented that mothers should not serve in combat roles.

“What’s wrong with a mom, by the way?” she asked. “Once you have babies, you therefore are no longer able to be lethal? I mean, you’re basically saying women, after they have children, can no longer serve in a combat role. It is a silly thing to say. A silly thing to say. Beneath the position you are aspiring to.”

Gillibrand also grilled Hegseth for not meeting with her ahead of the hearing—a complaint that was made by multiple Democrats who spoke Tuesday. Sen. Jack Reed, a Democrat, said he was the only member of the party who met with Hegseth ahead of time.

“You cannot denigrate women in general, and your statements do that,” Gillibrand said. “‘We don’t want women in the military, especially in combat.’ What a terrible statement. So please do not deny that you made those statements you have. We take the responsibility of standards very seriously, and we will work with you. I’m equally distressed you would not meet with me before this hearing. We could have covered all of this before you came here, so I could get to the 15 other questions that I want to get to.”

NO WORDS MINCED

Sneering Hegseth Torn Apart in Fiery Confirmation Battle

Josh Fiallo

After questions from several senators—including comments about his alleged philandering that made Hegseth appear visibly uncomfortable—Elizabeth Warren raised the issue of women soldiers once it was her turn to take over the mic.

“I have serious concerns that your behavior toward women disqualifies you from serving in this role,” she said.

Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, then read off a list of quotes by Hegseth that disparaged women on the battlefield.

“I want to be clear here,” she said. “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.

“And then on Nov. 9, 2024, just 32 days after your last public comment saying that women absolutely should not be in combat, you declared that, quote, ‘some of our greatest warriors are women, and you support having them serve in combat.’ Now, that is a very, very big about face in a very, very short period of time.”

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