Even in normal times it does not take much to get someone riled up on Capitol Hill. Particularly so at the time of confirmation hearings when a nominee has allegedly said or done things that law makers do not agree with.
Take the case of Pete Hegseth, a former host at Fox News who has been seen as the “most” contentious of the cabinet picks of the incoming President Donald Trump, after Matt Gaetz pulled himself out of the race for Attorney General.
Hegseth gave Senators on the Armed Services Committee a long list of questions, some of which Democrats quizzed him on rather intensely: his personal life including relationships; a perceived drinking problem and on the job. Professionally he was asked on women in combat that he had been against; the removal of “woke” commanders and on pardoning military personnel charged with war crimes.
What puzzled some law makers and experts on the outside was that Hegseth seemed totally clueless on the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) and could not even name one country in the grouping.
It was bad enough that the Defense Secretary nominee had barely anything on the Indo Pacific in his prepared remarks but to come away seemingly empty-handed on South East Asia raised many an eyebrow.
Luckily the former talk show host was spared of intense questioning on American participation in Asia Pacific scheme of things like APEC and the Quad or the challenges in the South China Seas and Taiwan.
ASEAN outreach
The poser on ASEAN was not a “trick” question where the nominee appeared “stumped”. It comes at a time when Washington is trying to refurbish its strength and shore up alliances as a way of countering the growing muscle of China and threats to freedom of navigation.
Hegseth and his supporters on Capitol Hill and outside may take the view that he was not there to talk foreign policy but to bring back the warrior culture in the military and that he was eminently qualified as there was “dust” in his boots.
In all likelihood Hegseth will clear the Senate, the only big question is if it would be well after inauguration day on January 20. But some of the other high profile nominees like Tulsi Gabbard for the National Intelligence Agency; Kash Patel for the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Robert F Kennedy Jr for Health and Human Services are yet to even get dates for their hearing. The they may not be as troublesome as Hegseth, but Senators, cutting across party lines do have some tough questions lined up, especially for Gabbard. Outside Capitol Hill even Republicans are questioning the credentials of the Hawaii Congresswoman.
Some see Gabbard as being rewarded for her support to Trump during the campaign season and switching parties to prove loyalty. Others are more pointed in alleging that she is more of a mouthpiece of the Kremlin and President Vladimir Putin; questioning her support for the now ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad; and supposedly being soft on Iran. The bottom line: National Intelligence is too sensitive a place for Gabbard to be in charge.
Worse, as Director she will be the deciding factor in what daily intelligence brief Trump gets to see.
“She opposed ending the Iran nuclear deal. She opposed sanctions on Iran. She opposed designating the Iran military as terrorists, who say death to America every single day,” said top Republican and former United Nations Ambassador in the first Trump administration Nikki Haley.
The Trump transition team was hoping that at least some of the high profile nominees in the national security team would be set to be confirmed after the swearing-in of the 47th President on Monday. As of now the safe bet seems to be Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State designate.
The writer is a senior journalist who has reported from Washington DC on North America and United Nations