Eric Schmitt

And this is their first time to really confront him with what he's actually said and written on this.

And this is their first time to really confront him with what he's actually said and written on this.

Jeanne Shaheen, for instance, the Democratic senator from New Hampshire, was one of several female Democrat senators who took Hexathon.

Jeanne Shaheen, for instance, the Democratic senator from New Hampshire, was one of several female Democrat senators who took Hexathon.

And Shaheen, among others, really launches in some really tough questioning positions.

And Shaheen, among others, really launches in some really tough questioning positions.

This was something that other Democratic senators, including Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, also picked on.

This was something that other Democratic senators, including Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, also picked on.

And basically saying, wait a minute here, we already have women who are serving in the military and serving in some of these combat positions in the infantry and ground combat roles.

And basically saying, wait a minute here, we already have women who are serving in the military and serving in some of these combat positions in the infantry and ground combat roles.

And then you've got other senators. Senator Elizabeth Warren says, well, wait a minute. You've had these kind of vague pronouncements of how women are so great in the military.

And then you've got other senators. Senator Elizabeth Warren says, well, wait a minute. You've had these kind of vague pronouncements of how women are so great in the military.

It seems like you've had this conversion when you're trying to sand the hard edges off your myriad public comments about this.

It seems like you've had this conversion when you're trying to sand the hard edges off your myriad public comments about this.

In response to all this, Hegseth said,

In response to all this, Hegseth said,

Women obviously play a very important role in the military, but he doesn't really address some of the most extreme things that he's written and said in the past.

Women obviously play a very important role in the military, but he doesn't really address some of the most extreme things that he's written and said in the past.

We have to have a standards-based military. Again, going back to his theme about focusing on the warrior ethos and not some of the DEI characteristics of the current administration.

We have to have a standards-based military. Again, going back to his theme about focusing on the warrior ethos and not some of the DEI characteristics of the current administration.