As Donald Trump’s inauguration draws nearer, his critics are preparing themselves to go after some of his most controversial picks for top government positions. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) released a 33-page list of concerns and questions for Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense. Hegseth has been controversial for his previous stance on women serving in combat positions in the military and for allegations of a sexual assault in 2017. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing, stating the encounter was consensual.
In her letter, Warren made no secret of her concerns over Hegseth’s nomination. “I have serious concerns about your qualifications to serve in this role given your past history, including mismanagement of two non-profit organizations you ran, accusations of sexual assault and drinking problems, your blatant disregard for the contributions of female servicemembers, support for war crimes and torture, threats to politicize the military, advocating for ‘war’ against political enemies, threats to undermine DoD readiness and diversity, and contempt for veterans receiving benefits they earned,” she wrote.
Referencing the Department of Defense’s $850 billion budget, Warren questioned whether Hegseth would be able to manage such a responsibility, given that he had resigned his position at two non-profit groups: Veterans for Freedom (VFF) and Concerned Veterans for America (CVA). After citing some accusations from both groups of financial mismanagement, including paying his brother $108,000 for a media relations position for which he, allegedly, had no experience, Warren listed several questions about Hegseth’s plans for managing the DoD’s budget and how he had paid back debts he had owed to the non-profits.
The letter also took issue with reports of Hegseth’s alleged excessive drinking, something he has denied. Hegseth has also vowed not to drink alcohol during his tenure as Defense Secretary if elected. Warren further touched on allegations of sexual assault, pressing Hegseth to reveal how many times he has been accused of sexual assault. She also took issue with Hegseth’s Christian tattoo, which some critics have linked with alt-right ideologies. “You were also removed from President Biden’s inauguration because of concerns that you were an insider threat after reports that your ‘Deus Vult’ tattoo ‘was a Christian expression associated with right-wing extremism. We cannot have a Defense Secretary whose fellow servicemembers feel concerned enough about to report as a potential insider threat,” she wrote. “Deus Vult” is a Latin phrase that means, “God wills it.” Hegseth also has a Jerusalem Cross tattoo, which some have claimed is a Nazi symbol. She also criticized any attempts Hegseth might make that could undermine the diversity of the DoD.
Hegseth will first face the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee for a confirmation hearing before he can be approved by the Senate. Trump transition spokesman Brian Hughes slammed the letter. “Sen. Warren’s letter to Pete Hegseth is exactly what the American voters rejected on Nov. 5,” he said. “Instead of focusing on ‘woke’ policies that have weakened our national defense, the voters gave a mandate to rebuild our military, and that’s exactly what a reform-minded Secretary of Defense like Pete Hegseth will do. Senator Warren’s letter proves why ideologically driven college professors have no place driving their social agenda at the Department of Defense.”
