Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing as President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of Defense took place on Tuesday, with plenty of fireworks. As Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee raged, they only made Hegseth look good. Later that day, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), who is on that Committee, announced she was voting for Hegseth, thus making his confirmation even more likely. "With today’s performance, I believe Pete Hegseth’s path to confirmation has been assured," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), another member, said on Tuesday.
By Wednesday afternoon, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) released a statement pretty much conceding that Hegseth will be confirmed, though he also made sure to complain about it as much as possible and even issue some warnings.
"By all indication, my Republican colleagues seemed perfectly comfortable with advancing Mr. Hegseth through the Senate despite his lack of qualifications," Schumer claimed, per Fox News' Chad Pergram. Tuesday's hearing touched upon how Hegseth may be an unconventional pick, but as Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) pointed out, so is Trump. That's what makes both Trump and Hegseth right for such roles.
When it comes to another line from Schumer, how "many of our colleagues have private doubts about the nominees, but publicly, they are still willing to embrace them," we'll know more when Hegseth's nomination goes up for a vote. That being said, this is a narrative we've heard from Democrats that just won't die, no matter how tiring and wrong it is.
Last month, when Hegseth's nomination seemed potentially in peril, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), who had a memorably terrible time questioning Hegseth on Tuesday, spoke of how his Republican colleagues privately opposed Hegseth, and that he'd "be surprised if we're still talking about Hegseth at the end of the week or by Monday." He even claimed there would be 5-10 Republicans who wouldn't vote for Hegseth. It was approximately six weeks ago that Blumenthal made such remarks, and we are, of course, still talking about Hegseth as the likely next Secretary of Defense.
Blumenthal says 5-10 Republican senators won’t vote to confirm Hegseth.
— Insurrection Barbie (@DefiyantlyFree) December 5, 2024
Now would be a good time for Republicans to show their voters they are not the same as democrats and come out and publicly support Trump’s pick of Secretary of Defense. pic.twitter.com/8sFDWOfCbC
Dem CT Sen Blumenthal: I'd be surprised if we're still talking about Hegseth at the end of the week or by Monday..Almost anyone would have an easier shot at nomination. But certainly some of the names I've heard, although they're only speculation, would be readier candidates.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 4, 2024
"Donald Trump's hold on Senate Republicans has become very powerful. Nevertheless, we Democrats will continue to push and pressure and scrutinize each nominee in committee because it's so important to get them on record," Schumer also warned, adding some sort of assurance about his fellow Democrats, now in the minority.
Schumer continued to stress Hegseth's supposed lack of qualifications even further from there, though it wasn't just Hegseth he was going after. "Americans need to see that many of Donald Trump's nominees are simply unfit for the jobs they've been chosen for. Americans need to hear these nominees answer for Donald Trump's harmful policies," he claimed.
"If the time comes months from now that some of Donald Trump's cabinet members fail on the job, these hearings will have served as an important warning for the American people to see. That's why Democrats are committed to ensuring each nominee is vetted thoroughly and scrutinized during the testimony," Schumer concluded.
Schumer By all indication, my Republican colleagues seemed perfectly comfortable with advancing Mr. Hegseth through the Senate despite his lack of qualifications. Many of our colleagues even have privately, many of our colleagues have private doubts about the nominees, but…
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 15, 2025
Such a statement comes after Schumer spoke from the Senate floor on Tuesday, where he quoted the 2004 "Dodgeball" movie, claiming that Hegseth had a strategy of "Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, And Dodge." Although Hegseth has been singled out by Schumer and other Democrats, the Democratic leader also went after Trump's nominees en masse from the Senate floor on Tuesday.
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