Washington Post: Warren pushes Hegseth on controversies ahead of Senate hearing

The record of Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Pentagon, should disqualify him for such a pivotal national security role, a Democratic senator told the former Fox News personality in a letter imploring him to address, before his confirmation hearing next week, the swirl of controversy that has marked his candidacy.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on personnel, outlined 10 areas of concern, including allegations of heavy drinking and sexual misconduct, remarks suggesting female troops should play a more limited role in the military, his past skepticism about the need for U.S. personnel to comply with laws of war, and accusations of mismanagement of veterans’ organizations he headed. Hegseth has vehemently denied claims of wrongdoing.

“I am deeply concerned by the many ways in which your behavior and rhetoric indicates that you are unfit to lead the Department of Defense,” Warren said in a letter sent late Monday to Hegseth, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post. “Your confirmation as Secretary of Defense would be detrimental to our national security and disrespect a diverse array of service members who are willing to sacrifice for our country.”

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