Donald Trump’s choice for US defence secretary has been accused of lacking the competence for the job, during a much-disrupted Senate confirmation hearing.
Senators are determining whether Pete Hegseth, a former combat veteran and TV news show host, is fit to lead the US military as Mr Trump’s choice for defence secretary.
He is a controversial choice because of past statements and actions, including allegations of sexual assault, excessive drinking and derisive views about women in military combat roles and minorities.
Image: Pete Hegseth at the committee hearing. Pic: Reuters
During the hearing – which has been disrupted by three protestors – Republican Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: “Mr Hegseth has admitted to falling short as we all do from time to time.”
But he added: “I have no doubt Mr Hegseth will excel in a skill in which many of his predecessors have fallen short.”
In contrast, Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the committee, told Mr Hegseth: “I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job
“Unfortunately, you lack the character and composure and competence to hold the position of defence.”
Mr Reed also commented on the FBI background investigation into Mr Hegseth: “I want to say, for the record, I believe the investigation was insufficient.”
Mr Hegseth’s opening statement was interrupted by three protesters, all of whom were arrested.
One could be heard calling Hegseth a “Christian zionist”, moments later another person began shouting about “bombing babies in Gaza”.
Image: Security removed a protester who interrupted Pete Hegseth’s opening statement. Pic: Reuters
When Mr Hegseth addressed the committee he spoke about why he thought president-elect Donald Trump chose him for the position.
He said: “The primary charge he gave me was to bring the warrior culture back to the department of defence.
“He, like me, wants a Pentagon laser-focused on lethality, meritocracy, warfare, fighting, accountability and readiness to stop bombing that night in our homeland.”
Who is Pete Hegseth?
A former Fox News commentator and National Guard veteran Pete Hegseth has been picked as Mr Trump’s defence secretary.
The president-elect described him as “tough, smart and a true believer in America First… our military will be great again, and America will never back down”.
If confirmed by the Senate, Mr Hegseth could make good on Mr Trump’s campaign promises to rid the US military of generals who he accuses of pursuing progressive policies on diversity in the ranks that conservatives have rallied against.
In the past Mr Hegseth has expressed disdain for the so-called “woke” policies of Pentagon leaders including its top military officer.
He has also railed against NATO allies for being weak and claimed China is on the verge of dominating its neighbours.
Mr Hegseth has pushed for making the US military more lethal and argued allowing women to serve in combat hurts that effort.
Though he said diversity in the military is a strength, he said that was because minority and white men “can perform similarly” but the same is not true for women.
Critics have pointed to Mr Hegseth’s lack of experience with some suggesting he could be defence secretary in name only as the Trump White House runs the department.
Another Democrat on the committee, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, questioned Mr Hegseth about past comments suggesting women should not serve in combat roles.
Image: Democrat Senator Jeanne Shaheen focussed on comments Mr Hegseth has made about women serving in the military. Pic: Reuters
He replied that, over time, the US military had seen an erosion of “certain duty positions, certain schools, certain places, which affects readiness, which is what I care about the most, readiness”.
Mr Hegseth added he would be “honoured” to serve alongside “men and women, black, white, all backgrounds with a shared purpose” and he would treat women and minorities fairly if he was confirmed for the job.
Mrs Shaheen replied: “I appreciate your 11th-hour conversion.”
But he added he would review military standards that prioritise gender or race.
Donald Trump‘s berating of Mr Zelenskyy has led to a show of support from European leaders as they try to formulate their own way forward.
The US president attacked the Ukrainian leader again on Monday, telling reporters he should be “more appreciative”.
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Image: The tens of billion in US aid has included Patriot air defence systems. Pic: Reuters
Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump also said Mr Zelenskyyhad made “the worst statement that could have been made” after he commented that peace was still “very, very far away”.
“America will not put up with it for much longer!” he posted.
“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing,” the president added.
Mr Zelenskyy then posted on X, saying Ukraine was “working together with America and our European partners and very much hope on US support on the path to peace”.
“Peace is needed as soon as possible,” he said.
‘Music to the ears of Putin’
By David Blevins, US correspondent
President Trump’s decision to pause military aid to Ukraine marks a significant shift in US foreign policy, one previously considered unthinkable.
This blow to Ukraine’s defences in the face of Russian aggression will be music to the ears of President Putin. US military aid has kept Ukraine in this David and Goliath battle for three years.
It has funded what military analysts simplify as “the big stuff” of battle – artillery, anti-tank weapons, rockets and armoured vehicles. Trump’s decision to push pause disregards efforts by Keir Starmer and other European leaders to devise a peace plan.
Those already questioning Europe’s reliance on the US for defence will conclude they have been given the answer.
But the decision sets President Trump up for a potential confrontation with Republicans, who had approved the funding, in Congress.
White House sources say he wants President Zelenskyy to go on TV and apologise for the jaw-dropping showdown last Friday. But the Ukrainian president feels he has no apology to make for expressing his doubt about Russia’s commitment to peace.
Earlier, Trump side-stepped a question about a Kremlin diplomat claiming the US administration and Moscow were now aligned on foreign policy.
This weakening of Ukraine’s defence capability moves that question front and centre as he prepares to address Congress on Tuesday.
Despite the diplomatic crisis, President Trump has said a deal is still possible.
An agreement giving the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth metals was meant to have been signed by the two presidents on Friday.
It was billed as an important step in a future peace deal – and part payback for aid already received.
However, the dramatic falling out has thrown that into jeopardy.
Mr Zelenskyy wants the metals deal to include guarantees on halting Russia should it break the terms of any peace agreement.
However, vice president JD Vance suggested on Monday that the metals pact was the best way to secure a lasting end to the war.
“If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine,” Mr Vance said.
“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years,” he added.
European and world allies – who met the Ukrainian leader in London at the weekend – have discussed a “coalition of the willing” to deploy peacekeepers and deter further Russian aggression.
The prime minister said Britain was prepared to put “boots on the ground and planes in the air” under the plan – but it’s unclear who else might participate.
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Keir Starmer told MPs on Monday that Britain must “lead from the front” on supporting Ukraine and the “security of our continent, the security of our country”.
However, the prime minister believes any international deployment of troops must have a US “backstop” deterrent to be taken seriously by Russia.
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Donald Trump has confirmed 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, taking effect at 5am UK time on Tuesday.
The US president confirmed the tariffs in a speech at the White House – and his announcement sent US stocks down sharply.
The tariffs will be felt heavily by US companies which have factories in Canada and Mexico, such as carmakers.
Mr Trump said: “They’re going to have a tariff. So what they have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs.”
There’s “no room left” for a deal that would see the tariffs shelved if fentanyl flowing into the US is curbed by its neighbours, he added.
As of 12:01am Eastern Standard Time (5.01am GMT), Mexico and Canada face tariffs of 25%, with 10% for Canadian energy, the Trump administration confirmed.
And tariffs on Chinese imports will double, raising them from 10% to 20%.
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Canada announced it would retaliate immediately, imposing 25% tariffs on US imports worth C$30bn (£16.3bn). It added the tariffs would be extended in 21 days to cover more US goods entering the country if the US did not lift its sanctions against Canada.
China also vowed to retaliate and reiterated its stance that the Trump administration was trying to “shift the blame” and “bully” Beijing over fentanyl flows.
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2:45
What is America’s trade position?
Mr Trump’s speech stoked fears of a trade war in North America and sent financial markets reeling.
Markets the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Nasdaq Composite fell by 1.4% and 1.76% respectively.
The share prices for automobile companies including General Motors, which has significant truck production in Mexico, Automaker and Ford also fell.
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Consumers in the US could see price hikes within days, an expert has said.
Gustavo Flores-Macias, a public policy professor at Cornell University, New York, said “the automobile sector, in particular, is likely to see considerable negative consequences”.
This is due to supply chains that “crisscross the three countries in the manufacturing process” and ” because of the expected increase in the price of vehicles, which can dampen demand,” he added.
Donald Trump has hit out at the Ukrainian president once again, just four days after an explosive on-camera spat between the pair.
The US president posted on Truth Social saying Volodymyr Zelenskyy made “the worst statement that could have been made” when he said the end of the war with Russia is “very, very far away”.
“America will not put up with it for much longer!” Mr Trump posted.
“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing,” the president added.
He also appeared to attack Mr Zelenskyy and Europe after yesterday’s Ukraine summit in London at which leaders, according to Mr Trump: “stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US.”
“What are they thinking?” Mr Trump asked.
A deal to end the war was still “very, very far away”, Mr Zelenskyy said earlier, adding he expects to keep receiving US support despite the two leaders’ public spat.
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“I think our relationship (with the US) will continue because it’s more than an occasional relationship,” the Ukrainian president added.
Mr Trump said in his Truth Social post: “This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!
“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. – Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?”
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