Chaos Erupts at Hegseth’s Senate Hearing as Confirmation is Hijacked
Chaos Erupts at Hegseth’s Senate Hearing as Confirmation is Hijacked by Protestors
The Senate confirmation hearing for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, was thrown into chaos Tuesday as protestors disrupted the proceedings multiple times. The drama unfolded as Hegseth began his opening remarks, which were immediately interrupted by loud voices from the audience.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host and military veteran, took the floor to explain why Trump remained confident in his ability to lead the department, despite ongoing reports about his alleged struggles with alcohol and womanizing.
As Hegseth began outlining Trump’s vision for the Department of Defense, a protester at the back of the room shouted, “You are a misogynist!” according to Trending Politics.
https://twitter.com/Ultrafrog17/status/1879185420506091789?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1879185420506091789%7Ctwgr%5E999b03418a81125932684ac5461aafa2113a5dde%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digifection.com%2F2025%2F01%2F15%2Fchaos-erupts-at-hegseths-senate-hearing-as-confirmation-is-hijacked%2F
The outburst was quickly cut short as security officers dragged the protestor from the room, but not before the audience could hear the ranting, amplified by the omnidirectional microphones. Hegseth calmly took a sip of water while waiting for the disruption to subside.
As the hearing continued, another protestor, a woman at the back of the room, stood up and yelled at Hegseth. She was immediately escorted out by security, her arms restrained behind her back.
Anti-Israel Protester Causes Chaos at Hegseth's Confirmation Hearing, WATCH: pic.twitter.com/0jMife8s8I
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 14, 2025
The chaos escalated as a third protestor, a man in a pink service member’s uniform, began loudly wailing and resisting officers. After a brief struggle, he too was carried from the room.
Protestors keep interrupting Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing, disrupting his testimony.
Capitol Police have a busy morning ahead, removing the 4th protestor so far. pic.twitter.com/bz4xQ4J6p7— Sara Rose 🇺🇸🌹 (@saras76) January 14, 2025
Despite the interruptions, Hegseth managed to continue with his remarks.
“The primary charge he gave me was to bring the warrior culture back to the Department of Defense,” Hegseth said, referring to Trump’s directive. “He, like me, wants a Pentagon laser-focused on lethality, meritocracy, war-fighting, and readiness.”
Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) then gave Hegseth the floor to continue.
“You may continue, sir,” Wicker said as the room settled.
Hegseth persisted, addressing some of the critical issues facing the U.S. military.
“We will reestablish trust in our military,” he said, “addressing the recruiting crisis, the retention crisis, and the readiness crisis in our ranks.”
After the third protestor was escorted out, senators began their inquiries into Hegseth’s past, with Wicker asking about reports claiming Hegseth had developed a drinking problem after leaving the military. Hegseth responded that the allegations were part of a “coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media against us.”
“Our leftwing media in America today sadly doesn’t care about the truth,” he said.
Hegseth has faced intense scrutiny following his nomination, including accusations of sexual assault and mistreatment of women. Recently, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D) called the veteran “unfit” for the position, criticizing his military service record and Christian faith.
Additionally, Hegseth has drawn backlash for his past comments regarding women in the military. He has been an outspoken opponent of women serving in combat roles.
“I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles,” he stated in a podcast interview in November, according to ABC News. “It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated.”
The hearing, which saw more interruptions than discussions, continued as scheduled, with senators expected to vote on Hegseth’s confirmation by the end of the week. If confirmed, he will join Trump’s national security team ahead of the president-elect’s first day in office.
Scroll down to leave a comment and share your thoughts.