Defense Secretary Nominee Pete Hegseth will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, telling senators that he will be a “change agent” at the Pentagon unlike previous defense secretaries.
He will say in his opening statement, obtained by Breitbart News in advance :
It is true that I don’t have a similar biography to Defense Secretaries of the last 30 years. But, as President Trump also told me, we’ve repeatedly placed people atop the Pentagon with supposedly ‘the right credentials’ — whether they are retired generals, academics, or defense contractor executives—and where has it gotten us? He believes, and I humbly agree, that it’s time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm. A change agent. Someone with no vested interest in certain companies or specific programs or approved narratives.
My only special interest is—the warfighter. Deterring wars, and if called upon, winning wars—by ensuring our warriors never enter a fair fight. We let them win and then bring them home.
While Hegseth himself is to acknowledge he has a different resume than past defense secretaries, he said in his statement his experience in combat is a huge advantage since he understands what troops have been through and can be an effective leader:
Like many of my generation, I’ve been there. I’ve led troops in combat…been on patrol for days…pulled a trigger downrange…heard bullets whiz by…flex-cuffed insurgents…called in close air support…led medevacs…dodged IEDs…pulled out dead bodies…and knelt before a battlefield cross…this is not academic for me; this is my life. I led then, and I will lead now.
He said his top focus will be to:
1. Restore the Warrior Ethos to the Pentagon and throughout our fighting force; in doing so, we will reestablish trust in our military—and address the recruiting, retention and readiness crisis in our ranks. The strength of our military is our unity—our shared purpose—not our differences.
2. Rebuild our Military, always matching threats to capabilities; this includes reviving our defense industrial base, reforming the acquisition process (no more “Valley of Death” for new defense companies), modernizing our nuclear triad, ensuring the Pentagon can pass an audit, and rapidly fielding emerging technologies.
3. Re-establish Deterrence. First and foremost, we will defend our homeland—our borders and our skies. Second, we will work with our partners and allies to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific from the communist Chinese. Finally, we will responsibly end wars to ensure we can prioritize our resources—and reorient to larger threats. We can no longer count on “reputational deterrence”—we need real deterrence.
He also pledged to be laser-focused on “warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness,” and hold military leaders accountable.
“The Defense Department under Donald Trump will achieve Peace Through Strength. And in pursuing these America First national security goals, we will remain patriotically a-political and stridently Constitutional. Unlike the current administration, politics should play no part in military matters. We are not Republicans or Democrats—we are American warriors. Our standards will be high, and they will be equal (not equitable, that is a very different word),” he will say, and add:
We need to make sure every warrior is fully qualified on their assigned weapon system, every pilot is fully qualified and current on the aircraft they are flying, and every general or flag officer is selected for leadership based purely on performance, readiness, and merit.
The hearing will be one of the first times Hegseth will be able to present himself directly to the American people.
However, Democrats who oppose President-Elect Donald Trump and his nominees are seeking to use the opportunity to embarrass Hegseth by bringing up anonymously-sourced allegations reported by the mainstream media, such as on alleged sexual misconduct, fiscal mismanagement and excessive drinking.
Despite not one person coming forward to make those allegations on the record, Democrats have regurgitated them for the last several weeks, arguing that Hegseth — a combat veteran, Princeton grad, and successful Fox News show host — is not qualified for the position.
Hegseth said in regards to his qualifications:
Ask anyone who has ever worked with me—or for me. I know what I don’t know. My success as a leader…and I very much look forward to discussing our many successes at my previous organizations, Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. I’m incredibly proud of the work we did. My success as a leader…has always been setting a clear vision, hiring people smarter and more capable than me, empowering them to succeed, holding everyone accountable, and driving toward clear metrics. Build the plan. Work the plan. And then work harder than everyone around you.
“The President has given me a clear vision, and I will execute. I’ve sworn an oath to the Constitution before, and—if confirmed—will proudly do it again. This time, for the most important deployment of my life,” he said.
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