Wildcards And Repentance: What To Watch For At Hegseth's Hearing

Senate Democrats are readying their attacks against Pete Hegseth as he makes his case Tuesday on Capitol Hill as to why someone dogged by controversy and with no Pentagon experience should lead one of the world’s largest employers.

Hegseth will need the backing of all Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee, some of whom have expressed worries about his past. Donald Trump’s pick for Defense secretary faces questions about sexual assault allegations, alcohol abuse and his competence to oversee a massive bureaucracy.

Senators will likely delve into his position on women in combat and probe his previous leadership of veterans’ organizations. Democrats alone can’t sink his nomination, but Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran and survivor of sexual assault, could do so if she wants.

The treatment of Hegseth — the most high-profile of Trump's nominees to face senators — will also set the tone for how the rest of the picks will fare. This includes how hard Democrats are willing to push the nominees, and whether Republicans will come to their defense or let them squirm.

Here are the surprises and strategies to watch for at Hegseth’s confirmation hearing.

1. Go on the attack or walk back?

Watch for any contrition Hegseth shows for his past acts. He has denied the assault allegations and was never charged. But Hegseth has said he won’t drink alcohol if confirmed and has argued he has changed with the help of family and religion — a theme that he may repeat during the hearing.

“I'm a different man than I was years ago, and that's a redemption story that I think a lot of Americans appreciate,” he recently told reporters.

Hegseth also drew attention for walking back his controversial positions opposing women in combat roles and gay people serving openly in the military. He may moderate even more of his stances when faced with pointed questions about other past statements he’s made as an author and longtime conservative cable television personality.

But Trump is expected to watch, which means Hegseth could opt to go on the attack. He may calculate that showing some fight will keep him on the right side of the president-elect, who tends to appreciate feisty, TV-worthy back-and-forths.

2. Democrats vs. the process 

Democrats don’t have the votes to stop Hegseth’s nomination on their own, but expect them to cast doubt on the process that led to Tuesday’s hearing.

Democrats argue they don’t have all the information they need on Hegseth because only Senate Armed Services leaders have access to his FBI background check. They’re also mad Hegseth didn’t meet with most of them ahead of the hearing.

Armed Services ranking member Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), said Wicker would make the call about whether to make the report available to other senators.

“That decision has to be made by the chair, and we have done it on two occasions that I can think of,” Reed said. “So, we have a precedent.”

One was John Tower, a former Republican Texas senator, who faced a testy confirmation process in 1989 for the Defense secretary job under George W. Bush before he was rejected amid allegations of excessive drinking. The other was Anthony Tata, a retired brigadier general Trump nominated for DOD policy chief before his confirmation ran aground due to Democratic opposition.

The session will be many Democrats’ first interactions with Hegseth — and they will likely express feelings about it. So far, Reed is the only committee Democrat to meet with Hegseth.

“How do I vote on a guy I haven't met with and do my job?” Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said. “This is one of the most bipartisan committees in the Senate so it’s very unusual that a SecDef nominee would refuse to meet with members of one party.”

3. All eyes on Ernst

Ernst is one of the few Republican wildcards. Her vote is seen as a make or break for Hegseth.

The veteran and sexual assault advocate has yet to say whether she’ll back him. Both sides will closely watch her questioning and Hegseth’s responses.

Republicans have only a one-vote margin on the Armed Services Committee, making her decision pivotal — and the Trump transition knows it. Hegseth has met with Ernst twice on Capitol Hill late last year, and has made commitments to the Iowa Republican, including that he will appoint a senior official tasked with tackling military sexual assault. Ernst, in turn, called Hegseth “very supportive of women in the military.”

She initially signaled misgivings about Hegseth but has appeared to inch closer to supporting him. Her refusal to commit to Hegseth triggered significant backlash among Trump allies and on social media. Adding to the pressure, she has a reelection bid looming in 2026.

4. Attacking the MAGA agenda

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer urged his members to hold Trump’s nominees “accountable” for his agenda. That likely will mean strident questions for Hegseth on Trump’s rhetoric about wielding military power and other actions they argue would politicize the armed forces.

Democrats are coordinating their questions so as not to double up. Expect them to ask Hegseth what he would do if Trump wanted to use the military against what the president-elect calls “the enemy from within” the U.S. or for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.

Trump’s latest expansionist rhetoric around Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal also will likely come up. Trump refused to rule out military force to seize Greenland or the canal.

5. On-camera experience

The former Fox News personality has the training to appear more polished and camera-ready than some of his Democratic questioners. Republicans are counting on that background, as well as his experience as a decorated war veteran, to help him convey credibility.

But senators will also want to see if he’s tripped up by basic national defense questions. These include how big the defense budget should be and how to balance hotspots in the Pacific, Middle East and Ukraine. Hegseth has yet to speak publicly about some of the more practical aspects of his job. If he’s unprepared, it could show.

Republicans, who have coached Hegseth about questions that will likely come up, want him to appear “comfortable and forthright,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.).

“He's been on TV, he's been in front of an audience before,” Rounds said. “I think he'll do just fine. I really do.”