Senators grill Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s choice for Pentagon chief

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be defence secretary, appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington. Picture: Alex Brandon/AP

Donald Trump’s choice for defence secretary has vowed to foster a “warrior culture” at the Pentagon and confronted allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking and questions about his derisive views of women in combat during a heated Senate confirmation hearing.

Pete Hegseth repeatedly deflected the various misconduct allegations and instead focused on his own combat experience in the Army National Guard as senators determine whether the combat veteran and former TV news show host is fit to lead the US military.