Pete Hegseth

My job is to come alongside him, should I be confirmed, and continue to emphasize his emphasis on warfighting, on getting anything that doesn't contribute to meritocracy outlawed.

My job is to come alongside him, should I be confirmed, and continue to emphasize his emphasis on warfighting, on getting anything that doesn't contribute to meritocracy outlawed.

Senator, I'm not familiar with the article you're pointing to in 2013, but it underscores my argument completely. Because in that 2013 argument, I was talking about standards. Standards are what it's always been about, Senator.

Senator, I'm not familiar with the article you're pointing to in 2013, but it underscores my argument completely. Because in that 2013 argument, I was talking about standards. Standards are what it's always been about, Senator.

Always been about Senate standards.

Always been about Senate standards.

Senator, again, I very much appreciate you bringing up my comments from 2013, because for me, this issue has always been about standards. And unfortunately, because of some of the people that have been in political power for the last four years, priorities other than standards, lethality, and meritocracy have driven decision making.

Senator, again, I very much appreciate you bringing up my comments from 2013, because for me, this issue has always been about standards. And unfortunately, because of some of the people that have been in political power for the last four years, priorities other than standards, lethality, and meritocracy have driven decision making.

Senator, the concerns I have and the concerns that many have had, especially in ground combat units, is that in pursuit of certain percentages or quotas, standards have been changed. And that makes the combat more difficult for everybody involved.

Senator, the concerns I have and the concerns that many have had, especially in ground combat units, is that in pursuit of certain percentages or quotas, standards have been changed. And that makes the combat more difficult for everybody involved.

Senator, it's not even a question I've thought about because it's not one that, it's not one, my motivation for this job has never been about what could conceivably come next.

Senator, it's not even a question I've thought about because it's not one that, it's not one, my motivation for this job has never been about what could conceivably come next.

I would consult with the president about what the policy should be at the defense department.

I would consult with the president about what the policy should be at the defense department.

I'm not a general, Senator.

I'm not a general, Senator.

Senator, we're going to address that. We won World War II with seven four-star generals. Today, we have 44 four-star generals. There's an inverse relationship between the size of staffs and victory on the battlefield. We don't need more bureaucracy at the top. We need more warfighters empowered at the bottom.

Senator, we're going to address that. We won World War II with seven four-star generals. Today, we have 44 four-star generals. There's an inverse relationship between the size of staffs and victory on the battlefield. We don't need more bureaucracy at the top. We need more warfighters empowered at the bottom.

So it's going to be my job working with those that we hire and those inside the administration to identify those places where fat can be cut so it can go toward lethality.

So it's going to be my job working with those that we hire and those inside the administration to identify those places where fat can be cut so it can go toward lethality.