Joining the Discussion
Joining us now is a Democrat who questioned Pete Hegseth today. Senator Tammy Duckworth, from Illinois, is a key member of the Armed Services Committee. She’s also an Iraq War veteran. Senator, thanks so much for joining us. Let’s listen to this exchange.
Questioning Qualifications
You were asked about his knowledge of a key alliance in Southeast Asia. Listen to this. “What is the highest level of international security agreement that you have led? And can you name some that the Secretary of Defense would?” There are three main ones. “You know, I have not been involved in international security arrangements because I have not been in government other than serving in the military. So my job has been to know the military.”
Key Agreements and Criticism
“And you named one of the three main ones that is talking about defense arrangements. I mean, NATO might be one of the ones that you’re referring to. Status of Forces Agreement would be one of them.” “Is that a Status of Forces Agreement I’ve been a part of? I can teach you about Status of Forces Agreements, but you don’t remember to mention it. You’re not qualified, Mr. Hegseth. You’re not qualified.”
Lack of Preparedness
“You talk about repairing our defense industrial complex. You’re not qualified to do that. You could do acquisition and cross-servicing agreements, which essentially are security agreements. You can’t even mention that you’ve done any of those.” “You talked about the Indo-Pacific a little bit, and I’m glad you mentioned it. Can you name the importance of at least one of the nations in ASEAN, and what type of agreement we have with at least one of those nations? And how many nations are in ASEAN, by the way?”
ASEAN Focus
“I couldn’t tell you the exact number, but I know we have allies in South Korea and Japan and in AUKUS with Australia, working on submarines with them.” “None of those countries are in ASEAN. I suggest you do a little homework before you prepare for these types of negotiations.” “All right. So we just heard that exchange. Were you surprised he wasn’t able to answer your question?”
Concerns on Indo-Pacific
“I’m flabbergasted that he was not able to answer a very simple question, especially since he mentioned the importance of the Indo-Pacific in his opening statement. But, you know, he also couldn’t tell me what are some of the ways that a Secretary of Defense would lead international negotiations with our allies either. So, I mean, some very basic things anybody who wants to take your job should be able to answer. For him to not even know a single nation out of the ten in ASEAN speaks very loudly to his lack of qualifications for the job.”
Women in Combat and Leadership
“Hegseth was also repeatedly pressed on his views about whether he thinks women should be allowed to serve in combat. As an Iraq War veteran yourself and a Purple Heart recipient, what do you make of his answers?” “Well, he kept trying to put women on the stand. It was almost like this was a hearing about whether or not women are qualified to serve in combat as opposed to whether he is qualified to be Secretary of Defense. He did everything he could to denigrate women, when, you know, he wouldn’t come out and say that women are equally qualified.”
Irony in Standards
“He talked a lot about not wanting to lower the standards. He wanted higher standards, which is ironic, since he wants us to lower the standards for what it takes to be Secretary of Defense so that he can have the job. You called him wholly unprepared to become the US Defense Secretary. He looks to be headed towards confirmation. He just needs the Republicans to support him. Why do you say the country would be at risk with him as Defense Secretary?”
National Security Risks
“Well, the Secretary of Defense leads the greatest nation on the face of the earth. We are the leader in our alliances all around the world. Our adversaries are watching, you know, especially during a time of transition when we are most vulnerable to attack. Frankly, Mr. Hegseth is a very weak incoming leader. Should he be confirmed, they can exploit his weaknesses. They can exploit potentially his personal weaknesses. The fact of the matter is, we have all of these allegations that have not been completely dealt with, of him having sexually assaulted women. These are ways that our adversaries could blackmail him.”
Allegations and Accountability
“He’s already had to pay off an accuser in order to keep a previous job that he had. So, to have a Secretary of Defense who is potentially blackmail-able is something that we certainly do not want for the United States of America. What do you say, Senator, to your Republican colleagues who appear willing to confirm him despite serious questions about his qualifications and allegations of drunkenness and sexual assault?”
Bipartisan Responsibility
“I am deeply, deeply disappointed. Should any of my Republican colleagues vote to confirm this man, especially those who are on the Armed Services Committee, because we are a very bipartisan committee. I respect my colleagues, but the fact of the matter is, they can’t on one hand talk about upholding standards and then on the other hand talk about lowering the standards to confirm someone who is not qualified to be Secretary of Defense. Basically, what I would say to my colleagues is stop praying at the altar of MAGA and let’s put the country above your personal political ambitions.”