Tammy Duckworth, a Democratic senator from Illinois, criticized President-elect Trump’s decision to nominate Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host, for Defense secretary, calling it an “insult” to the Department of Defense.
During a Sunday appearance on “Face the Nation,” Duckworth expressed her concerns, saying, “It’s frankly an insult and really troubling that Mr. Trump would nominate someone who has admitted that he’s paid off a victim who has claimed rape allegations against him. This is not the kind of person you want to lead the Department of Defense.”
Tammy Duckworth questions Trump’s choice of Hegseth, citing allegations and lack of command experience
In 2017, Hegseth was accused of sexually assaulting a woman, and his attorney later confirmed that the woman received a financial settlement to silence the allegations.
Duckworth, a Purple Heart recipient who lost both her legs and part of her arm during her service in Iraq, vowed to bring up the allegations during the nomination process. She was also among the first women to fly combat missions as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot.
She further criticized Trump’s selection of Hegseth, pointing out the lack of military leadership experience compared to the responsibilities of the Defense secretary role. Hegseth, although a combat veteran, never held a command position. “Remember that the Pentagon is 3 million servicemen and women and civilians. It is over a $900 billion budget,” Duckworth noted.
“He’s never run anything anywhere near to that size.” Additionally, Duckworth took issue with Hegseth’s stance on women in combat roles, a topic she has previously spoken out about as well.
