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Pete Hegseth said he will support the continuation of women serving in combat roles if he is approved to become defense secretary during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday.
About two hours into the lengthy meeting with members, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) asked Hegseth if he would support the ability for women to serve in combat as part of their military service.
“Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles … given that the standards remain high. And we will have a review to make sure the standards have not eroded in any of these cases,” Hegseth said to Ernst, who noted that the pair discussed the issue intensively during their multiple private meetings before Tuesday.
“That will be part of — one of the first things we do at the Pentagon is review this in a gender-neutral way,” Hegseth continued. “The standards of readiness and meritocracy are front and center, but absolutely. It would be the privilege of a lifetime, if confirmed, to be the Secretary of Defense for all the men and women in uniform who fight so heroically. They have so many other options. They decide to put their right hand for our country, and it would be an honor to have the opportunity to lead them.”
Hegseth had said in early November before being tapped for the role that the military “should not have women in combat roles.”
“It hasn’t made us more effective. It hasn’t made us more lethal. It’s made the fight more difficult,” he said on a Nov. 7 podcast. “It hasn’t made us more lethal. It’s made the fight more complicated.”
The Fox News anchor also told Ernst that she also plans to appoint a high-level official dedicated to sexual assault prevention and response at her request. The Iowa Republican has been a leading proponent of highlighting the prevalence of sexual assault in the military.
“Yes I will,” he said.
Hegseth is one of President-elect Trump’s most controversial choices to join his cabinet. She was questioned several times by Democrats before going back and forth with Ernst, who criticized her past comments about women serving in combat roles.
