Hirono Statement on Hegseth Confirmation Vote

Sen. Hirono: “Pete Hegseth is alarmingly unfit and unqualified to lead the Department of Defense.”
~ Video of Sen. Hirono’s question line from Hegseth’s confirmation hearing can be foundhere~
WASHINGTON, DC– Today, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after voting against Pete Hegseth’s nomination to serve as the next Secretary of Defense:
“In considering all of President Trump’s nominees, I am focused on their fitness and qualifications to do the jobs for which they are nominated.
Pete Hegseth is alarmingly unfit and unqualified to lead the Department of Defense.
His personal misconduct alone is disqualifying. He has been credibly accused of sexual assault, and refused to say whether he’s ever faced discipline or entered into a settlement related to such misconduct. He has a long history of drinking alcohol to excess, including at work, and refused to meaningfully commit to not drinking if confirmed.
What’s more, his leadership failures at the helm of two small veterans service organizations, including financial mismanagement, make clear he cannot be trusted to manage the largest federal agency with nearly 3 million people and a $900 billion budget.
More fundamentally, Mr. Hegseth has repeatedly shown questionable judgement. Since he was nominated, Mr. Hegseth has tried to walk back disgraceful statements he has made over the years disparaging women in the military, LGBTQ servicemembers, Muslim-Americans, and his perceived political foes. That might work for a Fox News host, but as Secretary of Defense, it does not.
At a time of global instability, with national security challenges in multiple regions across the globe, the American people are counting on us to confirm a trustworthy and qualified Secretary of Defense to lead the Department of Defense. Mr. Hegseth is not that leader.
For these reasons, I voted against his confirmation.”
Last week, during his confirmation hearing, Senator HironopressedPete Hegseth on his fitness to serve, character, and qualifications to lead the Department of Defense (DOD). During her line of inquiry, Senator Hirono questioned Mr. Hegseth on numerous reports of personal misconduct, sexual assault, and whether, if confirmed he will be loyal to the Constitution or Donald Trump. In response to Mr. Hegseth’slongrecordofdenigratingwomenservicemembers who bravely serve our nation in combat roles, Senator Hirono joined her colleagues inintroducinga resolution honoring the service of women in combat roles in the U.S. Armed Forces. Earlier this week, Senator Hirono also joined her Democratic colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee inreleasinga statement on the sworn affidavit containing abuse allegations against Mr. Hegseth.
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