Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has expressed her support for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, following his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“After four years of weakness in the White House, Americans deserve a strong Secretary of Defense,” Ernst said in a statement. “Our next commander in chief selected Pete Hegseth to serve in this role, and after our conversations, hearing from Iowans, and doing my job as a United States Senator, I will support President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense.”
The senator pledged to work with Hegseth “to create the most lethal fighting force” and hold him accountable for his commitments, including “auditing the Pentagon, ensuring opportunity for women in combat while maintaining high standards, and selecting a senior official to address and prevent sexual assault in the ranks” if confirmed.
Ernst, a combat veteran and sexual assault survivor, had previously voiced concerns about Hegseth due to his past comments questioning women’s role in combat and allegations of sexual assault, which he has denied.
During the confirmation hearing, Ernst directly asked Hegseth whether he supported women continuing to serve in combat roles. Hegseth responded, “My answer is yes, exactly the way that you caveated it. Women will have access to ground combat roles, given the standards remain high.”
Hegseth further pledged to review existing military standards to ensure readiness and meritocracy, stating, “That will be part of one of the first things we do at the Pentagon, is reviewing that in a gender-neutral way.”
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) also challenged Hegseth on his views, referencing past statements suggesting that “we need moms, but not in the military, especially in combat units.” Hegseth defended himself, asserting that his concerns were related to “instances where I’ve seen standards lowered.”
“I have never disparaged women serving in the military,” Hegseth said. “I respect every single female service member that has put on the uniform, past and present.” He added that changing standards to meet quotas “disparages those women who are incredibly capable of meeting that standard.”
Hegseth, 44, is a combat veteran who served with the Army National Guard in deployments to Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan. His nomination has drawn both praise and criticism, reflecting his outspoken views and extensive military experience.
In announcing the nomination on November 12, 2024, Trump praised Hegseth for his dedication to veterans and commitment to a strong, merit-based military aligned with his “peace through strength” policy.
