Video: Kaine Speaks on Senate Floor Regarding his Strong Opposition to Secretary of Defense Nominee Pete Hegseth

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WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee since 2013 who has previously voted to confirm five Secretaries of Defense nominated by Democratic and Republican presidents, spoke on the Senate floor regarding his opposition to President Trump’s nominee for that position, Pete Hegseth. Kaine’s remarks followed the release of anew affidavit—or sworn statement—from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, in which she says Hegseth’s behavior caused his second wife to fear for her safety.
“…I rise to oppose the nomination and urge my colleagues to oppose it or at least take the time to really understand the gravity of behavioral challenges that have been demonstrated by Mr. Hegseth during his career. I have multiple problems with this nominee for this position. And this position, Secretary of Defense, is the position that I view – and many Virginians view – as the most important cabinet post,”Kaine said.
Kaine then expressed the reasons for his opposition.
“…My request of my colleagues is a simple one. Why rush? Why rush? Why would we rush to put through a nomination for a position of this importance that is freighted with so much baggage and so much evidence of glaring character and judgment errors? Do we want to have egg on our face? Do we want to rush and have this blow up later? Do we want to rush and then have other witnesses come out as Danielle Hegseth did yesterday? Is that what the Senate's Advice and Consent process mandated by the Constitution for a very important reason has come to - [a] cursory investigation that doesn't get to the underlying facts even when they're sitting right out there before us and we're going to rush to confirm someone? For what reason?”Kaine concluded,“Let's take the time, and when we cast a vote on confirmation, cast it with the confidence that we have complete information about the man who has been nominated to be our Secretary of Defense.”
DuringHegseth’s nomination hearinglast week, Kaine asked Hegseth if he had committed sexual assault or spousal abuse. Hegseth denied both. Kaine also asked Hegseth if committing sexual assault or spousal abuse or working under the influence of alcohol would disqualify an individual from being Secretary of Defense, and Hegseth refused to answer. Kaine’s questions followed public reporting of anemail that Hegseth’s mother wrote to him in 2018, in which she said he had routinely mistreated women for years.
Kaine has never before voted against a nominee to be Secretary of Defense.
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