Leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee briefed late Friday afternoon on the results of an FBI background check on Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, according to two people with knowledge of the meeting. received.
Sen. Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi and chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat, met separately with transition team officials on Friday, according to people familiar with the meeting. They reportedly gathered for more than an hour. , spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive case. The transition team requested a background check.
This traditionally only applies to the chairs and ranking members of panels on the results of FBI background checks on cabinet nominees. During the session, senators were able to review the findings and ask questions about them, but were not given a copy of the report to share with their colleagues.
The results of the FBI investigation have not been shown to other members of the committee, leading several Democrats on the committee to worry that they would not have access to information relevant to Hegseth’s confirmation hearing on Tuesday. expressed.
With just days left until Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, it is increasingly unlikely that the other senators on the committee will be shown that information before they can question him about his suitability to run the Pentagon. It seems like it is.
Rank-and-file Democrats are outraged by the lack of access and say the FBI’s findings need to be scrutinized.
“We need to see his FBI background check, we need to see his financial disclosures,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.. “And we need to know about any other cases he may be facing or any other charges he may be facing.”
Public reports include accusations that Mr. Hegseth committed sexual assault, mismanaged the nonprofit he ran for veterans, and was frequently intoxicated in public. Documented. Hegseth said the sexual assault allegations arose from a consensual encounter. He also told reporters last month that he is “a different person than I was many years ago,” and described his evolution as a “story of redemption.”
The accusations against Mr. Hegseth have failed to sway most Republican senators, many of whom argue that senators should ignore such claims unless their accusers come forward publicly. .
Hegseth suggested to reporters last month that one whistleblower complaint about his workplace conduct was simply “an email from a disgruntled employee.”
Democrats on the committee believe there are additional charges that should be posted on the FBI’s background check page to inform questions. That belief is based in part on information gathered from individuals who secretly approached Mr. Hegseth’s office to divulge information about him.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he knew additional information about Mr. Hegseth should have been included in the FBI report, in his estimation, saying, “Claim is an understatement.” It’s an expression.” It was not clear what information he was referring to.
Blumenthal added that the fact that senators were not promised access to Hegseth’s background check gave “the impression of a cover-up.”
FBI officials last month began calling and interviewing witnesses about Mr. Hegseth’s actions, asking questions such as whether Mr. Hegseth abused alcohol. However, it is not clear how many witnesses they contacted or how active those witnesses were.
Most Democrats on the committee have not yet had a chance to criticize Mr. Hegseth personally. When they tried to schedule a meeting with Hegseth, some said they were told they could only be available from the week of Jan. 20, the day Trump takes office and the earliest possible date for the Senate. the person said. Vote for his approval.
Sharon LaFraniere Contributed to the report.
