Reed To Hegseth: You Are Unqualified, Lack Character

Sen. Jack Reed (R.I.), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s pick to head the Department of Defense, that he is plainly unqualified and lacks the necessary character to lead the nation’s armed forces.

“I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job. We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you,” Reed said in a stinging opening statement at Hegseth confirmation hearing, which began at 9:30 a.m. EST Tuesday morning.

Reed said committee members must pay close attention to allegations of sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement against Hegseth in recent years.

“We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you. A variety of sources — including your own writings — implicate you with disregarding laws of war, financial mismanagement, racist and sexist remarks about men and women in uniform, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other troubling issues.”

“I have reviewed many of these allegations and find them extremely alarming,” he added.

“Indeed, the totality of your own writings and alleged conduct would disqualify any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the secretary of Defense,” Reed said.

Reed noted he has voted for the previous eight nominees to serve as secretary of Defense that came before the Armed Services panel but signaled that streak is about to end.

“I have voted in favor of all your predecessors, including those in the first Trump administration. Unfortunately, you lack the character and composure to hold the position of secretary of Defense,” Reed said.

Hegseth sat through Reed’s scathing criticism without showing much emotion, while his wife sat directly behind him in the expansive Dirksen Senate Office Building hearing room.

Reed also raised concerns about Hegseth’s leadership of two advocacy groups, Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America.

He highlighted reports that Hegseth’s management of both organizations was plagued by accusations of financial mismanagement.

Reed said that each year that Hegseth led Veterans for Freedom, the group’s expenses “far exceeded” revenues “until the organization teetered on bankruptcy."

Citing public reporting, Reed said an independent forensic accountant reviewed the group’s finances and “discovered evidence of gross financial mismanagement.”

He said that accounting investigation was not made available to any government agencies, which he later called an alarming lack of transparency.

And Reed zeroed in on Hegseth’s leadership of Concerned Veterans for America from 2011 to 2016.

“During those five years, tax records show that the organization spent more than it raised. Just as troubling are reports that a significant amount of debt was incurred from social events and parties filled with excessive drinking and questionable personal behavior,” he said.

Updated at 11:20 a.m.