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.

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”.

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.”

Another Democrat on the committee, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, questioned Mr Hegseth about past comments suggesting women should not serve in combat roles.

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.

President-elect Donald Trump engaged in an unprecedented criminal effort to overturn his 2020 election defeat, according to a report by Special Counsel Jack Smith.

Prosecutor Mr Smith said Mr Trump “inspired his supporters to commit acts of physical violence” in the January 6 riots and knowingly spread a false narrative about fraud in the 2020 election.

However, efforts to bring Mr Trump to trial over his attempt to hold on to power were thwarted by his re-election in November, the special prosecutor said in his report, which was released by the Department of Justice on Tuesday.

He also found charges could be justified against Mr Trump’s co-conspirators but reached no final conclusions.

Mr Smith resigned in the wake of Mr Trump’s election victory in November.

“Indeed, but for Mr Trump’s election and imminent return to the Presidency, the Office assessed that the admissible evidence was sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial,” Mr Smith’s report said.

The release of the report comes a few days after Mr Trump was sentenced following his conviction in the Stormy Daniels hush money case.

President-elect Mr Trump has consistently criticised Mr Smith and allies have suggested the special counsel should now face criminal charges for pursuing the case against him.

In the wake of the release of the report, Mr Trump called Mr Smith “deranged” and criticised the report’s “fake findings”.

Released alongside the report was a letter from lawyers for Mr Trump to the justice department, dated 6 January 2025.

In it, they called for Mr Smith to “terminate all efforts toward the preparation and release” of the report, which they said was “consistent with the bad-faith crusade” that they said Mr Smith conducted on behalf of the Biden-Harris administration.

The special prosecutor defended his investigation, saying: “The claim from Mr Trump that my decisions as a prosecutor were influenced or directed by the Biden administration or other political actors is, in a word, laughable.”

Read more:
January 6: The case against Donald Trump
January 6: How four hours of mayhem unfolded

Mr Smith’s case had faced legal hurdles even before it was clear that Mr Trump would be returning to the White House.

It was paused for months as the former president pursued a legal claim that he could not be prosecuted for official actions taken during his time as commander-in-chief.

The Supreme Court, with its conservative majority, largely agreed with him, granting former presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution.

Other allegations in the report released today include:

• Mr Trump contacted legislators and executives at state level and “urged them to take action to ignore the vote counts and change the results”

• Mr Trump and co-conspirators launched a plan to use fraudulent electors in seven states that he had lost in the 2020 election to send false certifications to Washington DC

• Frustrated with the justice department because it had identified no evidence of substantial fraud in the 2020 election, Mr Trump “attempted to wield federal power to perpetuate his fraud claims and retain office”

• Mr Trump repeatedly pressed then vice president Mike Pence to use his ministerial position as president of the Senate to change the election outcome – something Mr Pence repeatedly refused to do.

Police are reportedly focusing on a possible human cause in early investigations into what caused the deadly Palisades fire in Los Angeles.

Several law enforcement sources told Sky’s partner site NBC News potential lines of inquiry involve fireworks or unauthorised individuals camping in the area.

Stressing no conclusions have been reached, they said other possibilities include accidental equipment-related ignition, and said arson is not being ruled out.

Fires latest – at least 24 people killed

At least 24 people have been killed and thousands of homes destroyed in the wildfires that have raged across Los Angeles.

Most of the destruction has been wrought by the Palisades fire, which has torched nearly 24,000 acres and is just 14% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Officials have not yet identified the cause of any of the Los Angeles fires.

A lawsuit has been filed against utility company Southern California Edison claiming its equipment sparked the Eaton fire.

The blaze in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains east of the city has burned through 14,000 acres and was 33% contained, according to Cal Fire.

Edison has acknowledged fire agencies are investigating whether its equipment may have started a smaller fire in the LA area that broke out on the same day.

Read more:
Santa Ana winds that fuelled wildfires are back – here’s what it could mean

It comes as additional firefighters and water tankers have deployed ahead of the forecast return of fierce Santa Ana winds which threaten to whip up the two massive wildfires.

Planes have been working to douse homes and hillsides with pink fire-retardant chemicals, while dozens of water trucks have worked to replenish supplies after hydrants ran dry last week.

“We’re absolutely better prepared,” LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said when he was asked what will be different from a week ago.

But he warned high winds could ground firefighting aircraft and said if they reach 70mph “it’s going to be very difficult to contain that fire”.

A third fire that has burned nearly 800 acres is 95% contained, while three other fires in California have been fully brought under control in recent days.