Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has expressed serious concerns over President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense.
In a detailed 33-page letter sent to Hegseth, Senator Warren posed 72 questions regarding his qualifications, behavior, and rhetoric and requested his responses by January 10, ahead of his January 14 confirmation hearing.
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Warren questioned Hegseth’s record of mismanagement during his tenure at two nonprofit organizations, Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. She cited reports of wasteful spending and inappropriate behavior, questioning his ability to oversee the Department of Defense’s $850 billion budget.
Additionally, Warren addressed allegations of Hegseth’s excessive drinking, citing 11 incidents of inappropriate alcohol use, including at work. “At any moment, the Secretary of Defense can be called upon to provide critical national security advice to the president,” Warren wrote. “Your pattern of alcohol abuse raises doubts about your ability to fulfill such responsibilities.”
Warren highlighted allegations of sexual assault and harassment against Hegseth, including a reported 2017 incident and accusations of pursuing female staffers while leading Concerned Veterans for America. She also criticized his opposition to women serving in combat roles, arguing that such attitudes could undermine the contributions of female servicemembers.
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“Your rhetoric and behavior toward women would set a tone from the top of DoD that women are not welcome in the military,” Warren stated.
Warren accused Hegseth of politicizing the military, supporting war crimes, and endorsing torture practices such as waterboarding. She cited his criticism of diversity in the armed forces, including mocking transgender servicemembers and calling the phrase “diversity is our strength” the “dumbest phrase on planet Earth.”
Hegseth’s comments on political enemies and his opposition to NATO and Ukraine support also drew scrutiny. Warren highlighted his past remarks framing political differences as a “war” and his calls for Americans to buy and train with guns. “Your deliberate choice to frame your differences with a political party as a war calls into question whether you would be able to lead this Department in an apolitical manner,” she wrote.
Warren raised concerns about Hegseth’s ability to work with international allies, citing his controversial comments about Muslim-majority countries. She also criticized his skepticism of veterans’ benefits and his opposition to public education, particularly the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools.
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Senator Warren was joined by fellow Armed Services Committee members Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.). In a separate letter to President-elect Trump’s Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, the senators questioned Hegseth’s views on women and allegations of misconduct, asserting that they disqualify him from serving as Defense Secretary.
“I am deeply concerned by the many ways in which your past behavior and rhetoric indicate that you are unfit to lead the Department of Defense,” Senator Warren concluded. “Your confirmation as Secretary of Defense would be detrimental to our national security and disrespect a diverse array of servicemembers who are willing to sacrifice for our country.”
Hegseth’s confirmation hearing is expected to draw intense scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers.
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