Principais destaques da polêmica audiência de confirmação de Pete Hegseth

1. CNN

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Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, acknowledged Tuesday he is “not a perfect person” but was defiant in the face of multiple allegations surrounding his past conduct during a contentious confirmation hearing.

Hegseth dismissed the allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017 as false and part of a “coordinated smear campaign,” claiming that the attacks against him were an attempt to use him to also smear the president-elect.

Democrats pressed Hegseth on allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking. In one particularly contentious exchange, Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia pressed Hegseth on his infidelity stemming from the 2017 incident in a Monterey, California, hotel room, which prompted a sexual assault investigation by local police that did not result in any charges.

Democratic senators also confronted Hegseth with his prior comments suggesting that women should not serve in combat roles, raising quotes from his book published last year.

Hegseth responded that women make “amazing contributions” to the military, arguing that his comments questioning women serving in combat were tied to the military’s standards and readiness.

Hegseth’s confirmation hearing Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee is the first of a flurry of hearings for Trump’s Cabinet selections this week ahead of the president-elect’s inauguration on January 20. Hegseth’s hearing set a defiant tone for Trump’s nominees ahead of the multiple controversial hearings ahead for the Senate in the coming weeks.

Ultimately, Hegseth’s nomination to become the next secretary of defense will depend on how Republicans view his confirmation. Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning he does not need any Democratic support to win confirmation so long as he doesn’t lose more than three Republicans.

Democrats press Hegseth on 2017 sexual assault allegation

Tuesday’s hearing was the first time for Democrats on the committee – Hegseth did not meet with any Democrats beyond ranking member Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island – to press Hegseth on the allegations of sexual assault, workplace drinking and financial mismanagement.

Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Hawaii Democrat, pressed Hegseth on the 2017 sexual assault investigation, asking if he’d ever faced discipline or entered into a settlement related to physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature.

“I was falsely accused in October of 2017, it was fully investigated, and I was completely cleared,” Hegseth said.

“I don’t think ‘completely cleared’ is accurate,” Hirono responded, noting his lawyer has said he entered into a non-disclosure agreement with his accuser as part of a settlement.

Kaine grilled Hegseth further, questioning the nominee’s judgement and pushing Hegseth to acknowledge his infidelity from the 2017 Monterey incident that he’s described as a consensual sexual encounter.

“Senator, I was falsely charged, fully investigated and completely cleared,” Hegseth responded.

So, you think you are completely cleared because you committed no crime. That’s your definition of cleared?” Kaine responded. “You had just fathered a child two months before by a woman that was not your wife. I am shocked that you would say you’re completely cleared.”

Hegseth also denied allegations of workplace drinking, while Democrats pressed him about not drinking if he was in charge of the Pentagon.

Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona ticked through a number of specific allegations raised about drinking, asking Hegseth to say whether they were true or false.

“Anonymous smears,” Hegseth responded repeatedly.

Hirono asked Hegeth: “You recently promised some of my Republican colleagues that you stopped drinking and won’t drink if confirmed. Correct?”

Absolutely,” Hegseth responded.

“Will you resign as secretary of defense if you drink on the job, which is a 24/7 position?” she said.

“I’ve made this commitment on behalf of the men and women I am serving­,” Hegseth responded.

Democrats used the allegations against Hegseth as part of a broader critique that he was not qualified to be defense secretary.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, an Army combat veteran who lost her legs serving in Iraq, repeatedly pushed Hegseth on his qualifications to run the Pentagon, quizzing him about the international security agreements and negotiations he will be expected to handle in the job.

“What is the highest level of negotiations that you engaged in, that you’ve led in, because the secretary of defense does lead international security negotiations. There are three main ones that the secretary of defense leads and signs — can you name at least one of them?” Duckworth asked.

Hegseth responded that he has not been involved in international security negotiations given he has not been in government. “NATO might be one that you’re referring to,” he said in response to her question.