“We've all made mistakes. I've made mistakes,” he said. Addressing Pete Hegseth’s wife, he said, “Jennifer, thank you for loving him through that mistake, because the only reason why I'm ...

Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) sought to help Pete Hegseth clarify his comments about women in combat, noting that the defense-chief nominee was referring to women in “ground combat roles.” ...

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D., N.H.) said she was disappointed that Pete Hegseth didn’t meet with Democratic senators before asking him to address his past comments about women in the military.

Senate confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet members and other national officials began Tuesday with Pete Hegseth's hearing for the seat over the Department of Defense.