Pete Hegseth’s nomination for secretary of the Defense Department has enough Republican support needed to clear the Senate Armed Services Committee after he picked up a key endorsement after his confirmation hearing.
Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa was the only Republican member of the panel who entered the confirmation hearing without having already pronounced her support for Mr. Hegseth, although she had offered a positive statement after private meetings with him last year.
On Tuesday night, several hours after securing public commitments from Mr. Hegseth during his confirmation hearing, Ms. Ernst announced she would vote for his confirmation.
“Our next commander in chief selected Pete Hegseth to serve in this role, and after our conversations, hearing from Iowans, and doing my job as a United States Senator, I will support President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense,” she said.
Ms. Ernst’s support is crucial because had she decided to oppose Mr. Hegseth, her vote, combined with expected unanimous opposition from Democrats on the committee, would have deadlocked his nomination in a tie.
“As I serve on the Armed Services Committee, I will work with Pete to create the most lethal fighting force and hold him to his commitments of auditing the Pentagon, ensuring opportunity for women in combat while maintaining high standards, and selecting a senior official to address and prevent sexual assault in the ranks,” Ms. Ernst said.
Those three topics were all things she asked him about during the confirmation hearing.
Ms. Ernst asked Mr. Hegseth whether he will take steps to ensure the Defense Department has a clean audit by 2028, noting it is “unacceptable” that it is the only federal agency never to pass an audit.
Mr. Hegseth said previous defense secretaries haven’t emphasized passing audits as a “strategic prerogative” but vowed he will, saying he views it as “an issue of national security and frankly respect to the American taxpayers.”
“You have my word: It will be a priority,” he said.
Ms. Ernst then asked him to clarify his previous remarks about women serving in combat roles, which was a topic several senators questioned him about during the hearing.
“I do believe in high standards,” she said, asking if the women who can meet those standards will continue to have the opportunity to serve in combat roles.
“Yes, exactly the way that you caveated it,” Mr. Hegseth said. “Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles, given the standards remain high.”
He said one of the first things he will do at the Pentagon is order a review of combat role standards to ensure “readiness and meritocracy is front and center.”
Ms. Ernst also secured Mr. Hegseth’s commitment that he would appoint a senior official dedicated to sexual assault prevention and response.
She said she and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Democrat, secured changes to the uniform code of military justice on sexual assault that “will demand time and attention from the Pentagon.”
• Lindsey McPherson can be reached at lmcpherson@washingtontimes.com.