Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., chimed in democratic senators Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s “hypocritical” line of questioning during his confirmation hearing.
Hegseth, nominated by President-elect Trump to lead the Pentagon during his incoming administration, has faced a series of intense questions from Democratic senators on the Armed Services Committee during his tenure. confirmation hearing on Tuesday.
“I think it’s so hypocritical of senators, especially on the other side, to talk about his qualifications,” Mullin said of his Democratic colleagues before beginning his line of questioning for Hegseth. “And yet your qualifications are no better.”
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Senator Markwayne Mullin, Republican of Oklahoma, speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, DC, U.S., Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (Al Drago)
The Republican from Oklahoma then he pointed to Democrats questioning Hegseth about claims, which he has denied, that the defense nominee showed up to work drunk.
Mullin hit back at the claims about Hegseth’s character, charging that Senate-elect members had previously shown up drunk to vote.
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“Senator Kaine, or rather the senator from Virginia, is starting to bring up the fact that, what if you showed up drunk to your job? How many senators have shown up drunk to vote at night?” Mullin pounced, eliciting loud laughter from the individuals in the room. “Did any of you ask them to step down and resign from their jobs? And don’t tell me you didn’t see it coming because I know you did.”
The senator continued to call out Democratic members as Hegseth went through his third hour of questioning.
Pete Hegseth, US President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, testifies during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill January 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Allison Robert)
“And how many senators do you know that got divorced because they cheated on their wives? Did you ask them to step down? No,” Mullin said. “You make a big show and point out the hypocrisy because the man made a mistake and you want to sit there and say he’s not qualified. Tell me a joke. It’s so funny that you hold yourself to this higher standard. You forget you have a big board in the eye.”
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Before the questioning began, Mullin thanked Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, for “loving him through that mistake.”
“The only reason I’m here and not in jail is because my wife loved me too. I’ve changed, but I’m not perfect,” he said.
