Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

Oh boy, that's bad news. Senator, thank you for that. Appreciate it. Have a good weekend. Appreciate you coming on. You too.

Mr. Hegshead, I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job. We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you.

Mr. Hegshead, I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job. We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you.

Mr. Hegshead, I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job. We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you.

A variety of sources, including your own writings, implicate you with disregarding the laws of war, financial mismanagement, racist and sexist remarks about men and women in uniform, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other troubling issues. I reviewed many of these allegations and find them extremely alarming.

A variety of sources, including your own writings, implicate you with disregarding the laws of war, financial mismanagement, racist and sexist remarks about men and women in uniform, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other troubling issues. I reviewed many of these allegations and find them extremely alarming.

A variety of sources, including your own writings, implicate you with disregarding the laws of war, financial mismanagement, racist and sexist remarks about men and women in uniform, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other troubling issues. I reviewed many of these allegations and find them extremely alarming.

Indeed, the totality of your own writings and alleged conduct would disqualify any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense.

Indeed, the totality of your own writings and alleged conduct would disqualify any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense.

Indeed, the totality of your own writings and alleged conduct would disqualify any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense.

You say you've had personal issues in your past, yet when asked about those very issues, you blame an anonymous smear campaign, even when many of these claims are not anonymous. Which is it? Have you overcome personal issues or are you the target of a smear campaign? It can't be both.

You say you've had personal issues in your past, yet when asked about those very issues, you blame an anonymous smear campaign, even when many of these claims are not anonymous. Which is it? Have you overcome personal issues or are you the target of a smear campaign? It can't be both.

You say you've had personal issues in your past, yet when asked about those very issues, you blame an anonymous smear campaign, even when many of these claims are not anonymous. Which is it? Have you overcome personal issues or are you the target of a smear campaign? It can't be both.

It's clear to me that you're not being honest with us or the American people because you know the truth would disqualify you from getting the job. And just as concerning as each of these specific disqualifying accusations are, what concerns me just as much is the idea of having a Secretary of Defense who is not transparent. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

It's clear to me that you're not being honest with us or the American people because you know the truth would disqualify you from getting the job. And just as concerning as each of these specific disqualifying accusations are, what concerns me just as much is the idea of having a Secretary of Defense who is not transparent. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

It's clear to me that you're not being honest with us or the American people because you know the truth would disqualify you from getting the job. And just as concerning as each of these specific disqualifying accusations are, what concerns me just as much is the idea of having a Secretary of Defense who is not transparent. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

You've written publicly that DEI policy is a distraction and have military personnel walking on edge shelves. Do you believe that emails like that that are essentially threatening both a serving officer and a spouse and claiming that they'll lose their pension will have a distraction and detract from the lethality?

You've written publicly that DEI policy is a distraction and have military personnel walking on edge shelves. Do you believe that emails like that that are essentially threatening both a serving officer and a spouse and claiming that they'll lose their pension will have a distraction and detract from the lethality?

You've written publicly that DEI policy is a distraction and have military personnel walking on edge shelves. Do you believe that emails like that that are essentially threatening both a serving officer and a spouse and claiming that they'll lose their pension will have a distraction and detract from the lethality?

All of your public comments don't talk about meritocracy. They talk about liberal, democratic efforts that are destroying the military, that those people are our enemies. That's not meritocracy. That's a political...