In a heated exchange during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Senator Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) effort to box in Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s defense secretary nominee, fell flat as her line of questioning took an unexpected turn. Warren, known for her aggressive grilling style, aimed to extract a promise from Hegseth that he would steer clear of the defense industry for a decade after his tenure in her opening.
“Will you agree, when you leave the Defense Department, you won’t work for the defense industry for 10 years?” she asked, pressing the nominee on ethics.
Hegseth, remaining composed, responded, “It’s not even something I’ve thought about.”
Unimpressed, Warren pushed further, demanding clarity. “I just need a yes or no here. Time is short,” she insisted, cutting off Hegseth before he could elaborate.
“I would consult with the President about what the policy should be at the Defense Department,” Hegseth said, refusing to commit to a blanket pledge. Warren then escalated her line of questioning, drawing a comparison to military leaders. “So every general should wait 10 years, but not you?”
That’s when Hegseth delivered his final response, effectively disarming Warren’s attack. “I’m not a general, Senator,” he said with a wry tone. His quick wit elicited laughter from the room, leaving Warren unpleased. Republicans have generally shown support for Hegseth. However, protesters interrupted Hegseth’s opening remarks three times before being swiftly escorted out of the room.
A television personality and former officer in the Army National Guard, Hegseth is a polarizing figure in politics. He graduated from Princeton University in 2003 and later earned a Master of Public Policy from Harvard.
During his military service, Hegseth was deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Iraq, and Afghanistan, earning two Bronze Stars and two Army Commendation Medals.
After leaving the military, Hegseth became a prominent conservative voice, co-hosting Fox & Friends Weekend from 2017 to 2024. In November, President-elect Trump selected him as his nominee for Secretary of Defense, a decision that has provoked sharp divisions in Washington.
Watch:
🚨 BREAKING: Pete Hegseth embarrasses Elizabeth Warren when her gotcha backfires. 😂 pic.twitter.com/ySULm1krKu
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) January 14, 2025
Allegations of past misconduct, including sexual assault and excessive drinking—both of which Hegseth has denied—have only intensified scrutiny. His outspoken criticism of inclusion and women serving in combat roles have drawn further condemnation, particularly from Democrat lawmakers.
On Tuesday, he vehemently denied the accusations, saying they were part of a “smear campaign” orchestrated by outlets like The New York Times and The New Yorker. He then accused the media of pursuing an agenda to discredit him and undermine his nomination due to his alignment with Trump’s vision for the Defense Department.
“So I’m willing to endure these attacks,” Hegseth stated at the beginning of the hearing, “but what I will do is stand up for the truth and for my reputation. False attacks, anonymous attacks, repeated ad nauseam, printed ad nauseam as facts. We have provided… on-the-record statement after on-the-record statement from people who have served with me, worked with me at Fox News, Concerned Vets, Vets for Freedom, you name it. From the top of the chain to the bottom, from people who say I treat them with respect, with kindness, with dignity. That’s men, that’s women, that’s Black, that’s white, that’s every background.”
Watch:
Sen. Roger Wicker questions Pete Hegseth about “sexual assault, inappropriate workplace behavior, alcohol abuse, and financial mismanagement,” while acknowledging the majority of the allegations have “come from anonymous sources.”
Hegseth hits it out of the park with his reply. pic.twitter.com/wldhkwjPek
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) January 14, 2025
“I pride myself on being a leader of people and being a professional. I’m not a perfect person, as has been acknowledged. Saved by the grace of God, by Jesus and Jenny,” Hegseth said about his wife, eliciting a chuckle from the audience. “But redemption is real, and God forged me in ways I know I’m prepared for.”
