EGN NEWS DESK
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s selection for protection secretary, will face a stream of questions on Tuesday from members of a Senate committee that’s contemplating his anticipated nomination.
It might be a contentious listening to. Mr. Hegseth has confronted scrutiny due to accusations of extreme ingesting and an allegation of sexual assault.
He has additionally confronted criticism for feedback about limiting the function of girls within the army.
Here is what to look at for because the Senate Armed Services Committee listening to will get underway:
Questions associated to his alcohol use
Mr. Hegseth will nearly certainly be requested about his alcohol use. The New York Times and different information media organizations have documented a historical past of extreme ingesting, together with some episodes that Mr. Hegseth himself has described. He has vowed that if he’s confirmed, there “gained’t be a drop of alcohol on my lips.” Will that be ample for the senators on the committee?
Sexual assault allegation
How will Mr. Hegseth tackle issues a couple of 2017 police investigation into whether or not he raped a girl after a talking occasion in Monterey, Calif.? He has stated that the sexual encounter was consensual and that he agreed to pay the lady a secret monetary settlement solely to guard his job. No legal prices had been filed.
Managerial expertise
Other protection secretaries in current historical past have had vastly better managerial expertise than Mr. Hegseth, a former “Fox & Friends” weekend anchor. His successive tenures as head of two small veterans teams from 2008 to 2016 ended with each in monetary hassle. How will he reply questions on his means to steer the Pentagon, an $849 billion enterprise with practically three million staff?
Views on variety
Mr. Hegseth has complained about “woke” generals who he stated left the army “effeminate” by supporting variety insurance policies that had been pushing away “America’s white little children.”
Women in fight
Mr. Hegseth has additionally stated that “we should always not have ladies in fight roles.” He now says that girls can serve in the event that they meet the appropriate customary. What will he say about whether or not he would flip again the clock within the army?
International insurance policies, together with the conflict in Ukraine
Lawmakers are additionally more likely to ask Mr. Hegseth about main worldwide coverage points. He has voiced skepticism about persevering with to offer army assist to Ukraine. Is that also his view?
Given Iran’s weakened state, ought to the United States, maybe performing with Israel, perform army strikes towards Iran’s nuclear program?
What further steps does the U.S. army have to take to counter the rising army risk from China?
