WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s selection for protection secretary, Pete Hegseth, is heading right into a probably explosive Senate affirmation listening to
The listening to on the Senate Armed Companies Committee is the beginning of a weeklong marathon as senators start scrutinizing Trump’s decisions for greater than a dozen high administrative positions. The Republican-led Senate is speeding to have a few of Trump’s picks able to be confirmed as quickly as Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, regardless of potential opposition to some from either side of the aisle.
He’s among the many most endangered of Trump’s Cupboard decisions, however GOP allies are decided to show Hegseth right into a trigger célèbre for Trump’s governing method amid the nation’s tradition wars. Exterior teams, together with these aligned with the Heritage Basis, are operating expensive campaigns to prop up Hegseth’s bid.
Hegseth, 44, attended Princeton College and served within the Military Nationwide Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011 and incomes two Bronze Stars. However he lacks senior navy and nationwide safety expertise.
The secretary’s primary job is to ensure the U.S. navy is prepared, skilled and outfitted to fulfill any name to responsibility. However the secretary additionally should make sure that American troops are protected and safe at dwelling, with correct housing, well being care, pay and help for applications coping with suicide, sexual assault and monetary scams.
Moreover being a key nationwide safety adviser to the president, the protection secretary oversees a large group, with practically 2.1 million service members, about 780,000 civilians and a finances of roughly $850 billion.
