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Throughout protection secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s affirmation listening to on Tuesday, Republican lawmakers had been so centered on three particular letters — DEI — that they forgot to appropriately spell the phrase “navy” on one in every of their visible aids.
An AP photographer snapped a photograph of a board sitting simply behind Republican Senator Eric Schmitt and Republican Senator Ted Budd with the title “DEI in our Miltary.”
That is proper, “Miltary,” not “Army.”
The oversight was probably only a lack of high quality management on the a part of a senatorial staffer and hardly an important challenge of the listening to, which noticed Democrats and Republicans in a tense forwards and backwards over Hegseth’s {qualifications}, values, and the varied allegations surrounding his habits.
Throughout the listening to, Schmitt complained about DEI initiatives within the navy, which he known as “race essentialism,” — basically arguing that the navy was extra involved a couple of member’s race than their aptitude for service.
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Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., left, speaks as Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., proper, listens on the Senate Armed Companies Committee affirmation listening to for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s option to be Protection secretary, on the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 (AP)
“DEI is not about giving everybody opportunity,” Schmitt mentioned. “It is rooted in cultural Marxism, the idea that gets the room, any room with oppressor versus oppressed. It’s race essentialism, and it is poison.”
Hegseth agreed with Schmitt’s take.
“You have to tear out DEI and CRT initiatives root and branch from institutions,” Hegseth mentioned. “Then you have to put in Army, Navy, and Air Force secretaries and others, civilian positions, at the helm who are committed to the same priorities that the president of the United States is, and if confirmed, the secretary of defense will be. Send a clear message that this is not a time for equity.”
CRT — Important Race Idea — is an educational lens used for inspecting society, and is not usually one thing that might be carried out in navy schooling.
Schmitt agreed nonetheless, saying he backed Hegseth’s opinion” one hundred pc.”
The Unbiased has requested remark from Schmitt’s workplace.
Democrats identified that Hegseth had beforehand complained in regards to the navy allegedly decreasing its requirements to accommodate ladies, and argued that by confirming him to Secretary of Protection they might basically be decreasing the bar for the place.
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Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s option to be Protection secretary, seems earlier than the Senate Armed Companies Committee for his affirmation listening to, on the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 (AP)
“Do you think that the way to raise the minimum standards of the people who serve us is to lower the standards of the Secretary of Defense?” Senator Gary Peters requested Hegseth after asking Hegseth what the very best variety of folks he’d ever managed was.
Hegseth mentioned the very best variety of folks he’d ever been in control of was just a few hundred whereas he served as an organization commander within the navy. As Secretary of State, he would oversee the greater than 2.86 million energetic obligation navy members, and his selections might have an effect on not solely each American however folks throughout the globe.
Throughout the listening to, he additionally complained about an initiative undertaken by the Biden administration to root out extremism within the navy.
“Things like focusing on extremism, senator, have created a climate inside our military that feels political when it hasn’t ever been political,” Hegseth mentioned. “Those are the types of things that are going to change.”
He cited a report that found around 100 military members were identified as extremists and said he considered that a small number.
In addition to Hegseth’s views on the military, the nominee was also grilled on his personal values and behavior.
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Hegseth has previously claimed that one of his tattoos – a Jerusalem Cross – on his chest, prevented him from being included involved in security arrangements for Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021 (Pete Hegseth/ Instagram)
Republican Senator Kevin Cramer asked Hegseth about one of his tattoos — a Jerusalem Cross, a symbol associated with the Kingdom of Jerusalem during the Crusades — but did not ask Hegseth about his Deus Vult tattoo, which got him flagged as an “insider threat” due to its potential connection to white nationalist groups while he was serving in the National Guard, according to the Associated Press. Deus Vult — Latin for “God wills it” — is also often associated with both the Crusades and white nationalists.
Hegseth has previously written off questions about his tattoos as unfair targeting of Christians.
Senator Jack Reed called Hegseth’s qualifications into question, citing his alleged conduct issues.
“Mr. Hegseth, I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job,” he mentioned, including, “Indeed, the totality of your own writings and alleged conduct would disqualify any servicemember from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense.”
Hegseth insisted that the allegations of his drunkenness at work and of a sexual assault had been false, nameless studies and that he’d been cleared of wrongdoing.
“I’ve failed in issues in my life, and fortunately I’m redeemed by my lord and savior Jesus,” Hegseth mentioned.
