The Top 5 Viral Moments From Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing

Pete Hegseth appeared Tuesday for his first confirmation hearing before the Senate to lead the Department of Defense. While most Democrats wasted their time inquiring into Hegseth’s personal life, Republicans asked questions about how Hegseth would make America safer and stronger.

Here are the top viral moments from Hegseth’s confirmation hearing.

Tim Kaine Can’t Stop Talking About Sex

Virginia Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine spent his allotted time focusing on Hegseth’s sex life. Kaine focused on a sexual relationship Hegseth had in 2017, noting Hegseth had a wife at the time and had, two months prior, just welcomed a new child into the world with his now third wife, Jennifer Rauchet.

A woman previously accused Hegseth of sexual assault after an alleged 2017 interaction between the two. However, reports say that prosecutors did not bring charges due to a lack of “proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” and Hegseth also testified in the hearing the matter had been “fully investigated” and he was “completely cleared” of wrongdoing. Nevertheless, Kaine continued to push the issue.

“So you think you are completely cleared because you committed no crime? That’s your definition of cleared?” Kaine asked. “I am shocked that you would stand here and say you are completely cleared — can you so casually cheat on a second wife and cheat on the mother of a child who had been born two months before, and you tell us you are completely cleared?”

Notably, Kaine was the running mate of Hillary Clinton, whose husband had an affair with a White House intern. Kaine also endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, whose husband Doug Emhoff was accused of physically abusing at least one woman.

Markwayne Mullin Rips Dems Over Hypocrisy

In response to Kaine’s line of “questioning,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., tore into Democrats’ hypocrisy, calling out Senators who have allegedly voted under the influence and cheated on their wives.

“How many senators have showed up drunk to vote at night? Have any of you guys asked them to step down and resign from their job? And don’t tell me you haven’t seen it, because I know you have!” Mullin said. “And how many senators do you know have gotten a divorce for cheating on their wives? Did you ask them to step down?”

“[I]t’s for show. You guys make sure you make a big show … because the man’s [Hegseth] made a mistake, and you wanna sit there and say that he’s not qualified?” he said. “It is so ridiculous that you guys hold yourselves as this ‘higher standard,’ and you forget you got a big plank in your eye.”

Pocahontas Mis-General’s Hegseth

The crowd erupted into laughter when Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren tried to have a “gotcha moment” but instead was the one getting got.

She noted how Hegseth previously stated he didn’t believe military generals should be allowed to serve in the defense industry for 10 years after they retire from service.

“The question I have for you on this is, will you put your money where your mouth is and agree that when you leave this job, you will not work for the defense industry for 10 years?” Warren asked.

“Senator, it’s not even a question I’ve thought about,” Hegseth said. “My motivation for this job has never been about what could conceivably come next.”

“In other words, you’re quite sure that every general who serves should not go directly into the defense industry for 10 years, but you’re not willing to make that same pledge?” Warren asked.

“I’m not a general, Senator,” Hegseth responded as members of the crowd broke out in laughter.

Hegseth Defends Israel’s Fight Against Hamas

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., asked a rather simple but powerful question of Hegseth.

“I support Israel’s existential war in Gaza,” Cotton said. “I assume like me and President Trump, you support that war as well, don’t you?”

“I support Israel destroying and killing every last member of Hamas,” Hegseth testified.

Hegseth Proves He’s A Man Of Soldiers — Not Military Industrial Complex

Newly elected Montana Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy started his line of questioning by asking Hegseth “how many genders” there are.

“Senator, there are two genders,” Hegseth said.

“What is the diameter of the rifle round fired out of an M4A1 rifle?” Sheehy went on to ask.

“That’s a 5.56,” Hegseth said without hesitation.

Sheehy later followed up, asking “How many rounds of 5.56 can you fit into the magazine of an M4 rifle?”

“Depends on the magazine, but standard issue is 30,” Hegseth said.

Sheehy also asked how many push-ups Hegseth could do. Hegseth responded that he did “five sets of 47 this morning.”

After concluding his brief and direct line of questioning, Sheehy noted how Hegseth’s responses “represent[ed] qualifications that show [he] understand what the warfighter deals with every single day on the battlefield.”

Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2