Hegseth Pressed on Past Remarks on Women in Combat

Defense Secretary-nominee Pete Hegseth’s past comments expressing concern about women in the U.S. military serving in combat were revisited by Democrat women senators, but he stressed repeatedly those remarks were about potentially eroding “standards” with regard to “military readiness” for combat.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee that hosted the Hegseth confirmation hearing, has been an advocate for women in the military.

Shaheen noted Hegseth had said publicly, “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles.”