from the senate armed servic committee, you canch le coverage at 9:30 p.m.- 9: a.m. eastern on c-span three or online at c-span.org. >> democracy, it is not just an idea, it is a process. a process shaped by leaders and entrusted to a select few with guarding its basic principles. it is where debates unfold, decisions are made and nations courses are charted. democracy in real time. this is your government work. this is c-span, giving you your democracy unfiltered. >> the former chair of the joint chiefs of staff general mark milley talked about u.s. national security and global challenges at an event in new york city. topics included the israel-hamas conflict, the war in ukraine, and threats posed by china. this is 30 minutes. >> our next guest has spent most of his life keeping america safe. before retiring in 2023, general mark milley served as the 20th chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the nation's highest ranking military officer and the principal military adviser to the president of the united states, the secretary of defense and the national security coun

senate confer nation hearings begin tomorrow with pete hegseth, he will be in front of senate arm service committee and interior secretary doug b several senators not come out in support of some of the nominees, including pete hegseth. we will see how that goes tomorrow. larry: aishah, you done mentions love -- didn't mention the love affair between donald trump and john fe fetterman of pennsylvania. reporter: it did about well according to trump. i believe washington examiner said he looks at him as not a partisan personality but common sense guy that could suit him pretty well in upcoming couple of months he will need all vote he's can get senate. larry: more on that later, aishah hasnie. as trump reverses joe biden's foreign policy failures, he needs true warrior pete hegseth by his side, that is the subject of the riff. so pete hegseth will appear before senate arm services committee tomorrow. as president-elect trump's nominee for defense secretary. now before anyone saying that word about his nomination, they should read the hot off of press story from fox news digital. which reports how spec

it is appropriate to recognize and welcome three senators attending their very first senate armed services committee hearing as members. senator banks of indiana, senator sheehy of montana and senator slotkin of michigan. we are excited to have you as committee colleagues and look forward to many important contributions from each of you. senator slotkin, is a look at the end of the dais, it seems only a week or two ago i was sitting in that very chair being recognized by the chairman of the committee, the distinguished senator from michigan. time flies. let me say this. we had very appropriate expression of approval by the members -- members of the audience as are nominee and his family walked in. the distinguished ranking member and i sincerely hope that is the last signal of approval or disapproval in today's hearing. people of the public are here. they are welcome to observe today's hearing. senator reed and i agree that no disruptions will be allowed. audience members may not verbally or physically distract from the hearing, to include shouting, standing or raising signage or gestures that block

he's facing questions from the senate armed services committee about his qualifications and sexual misconductegations. abc news reporter perry russom has a look from washington. state, usa. >> the cheers for pete hegseth as he walked before the senate armed services committee. >> force will remove members by protesters as the veteran and former tv host works to become the next secretary of defense. >> people that really know me know where my heart's at. it's with the guys in this audience who've had my back and i've had theirs. >> president elect. trump's nominee has been shattered by allegations of sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse and financial mismanagement, allegations he denies. >> there was a coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media against us. >> according to a police report obtained by abc news, a woman accused hegseth of sexual assault in 2017. no charges were filed. his attorney says he settled with the woman in order to keep his job. hegseth calls the encounter consensual. >> but you acknowledge that you cheated on your wife and that you cheated on the woman who by whom

defense secretary nominee pete hegseth, will face a confirmation hearing tomorrow from senate armed services committee members. we'll talk to one of those senators, war hero one of those senators, war hero tammy duckworth, ♪♪ well would you look at that? jerry, you've got to see this. i've seen it. trust me, after 15 walks, it gets a little old. ugh. i really should be retired by now. wish i'd invested when i had the chance... to the moon! unbelievable. stop waiting. start investing. e*trade ® from morgan stanley. >> trivago compares hotel prices from hundreds of sites so you from hundreds of sites so you can save up if you have heart failure or chronic kidney disease, farxiga can help you keep living life, because there are places you'd like to be. (♪♪) serious side effects include increased ketones in blood or urine and bacterial infection between the anus and genitals, both which may be fatal, severe allergic reactions, dehydration, urinary tract or genital yeast infections, and low blood sugar. stop taking and tell your doctor right away if you have nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, tiredness, rash,

it's also appropriate to recognize and welcome three senators attending their very first senate armed service committeesenator banks of indiana, senator sheehy of montana and senator slotkin of michigan. we're excited to have you as committee colleagues and look forward to many important contributions from each of you. and senator slotkin, as i look down at the end of the dias it seems like a week or two ago i was sitting in that chair recognized by the chairman of the committee, the senator from michigan. so time flies. now, let me say this. we had a very appropriate expression of approval by the members of the audience as our nominee and his family walked in. the distinguished ranking member and i sincerely hope that that is the last signal of approval or disapproval in today's hearing. people of the public are here and they are welcome to observe today's hearing and senator reid and i agree, though, that no disruptions will be allowed. audience members may not verbally or physically distract from the hearing to include shouting, standing, or raising signage or gestures that block the view of the aud

perspective, were joined by democratic senator tammy duckworth who also serves on the senate armed services committeer being with us. you were when the democratic senators who confronted pete hegseth for his past comments, today he argued that his critiques were actually tied to instances where he says he saw standards lowered. how do you interpret that explanation? sen. duckworth: well, it doesn't hold any water because the standards have not been lowered. the standards are the standards. and, frankly, he tried to make today's hearing about whether or not women are qualified to serve in combat, when really today's hearing was about whether or not pete hegseth is qualified to be secretary of defense. and he couldn't even answer the most basic questions i asked of him, like name a country that's in asean, one of the most significant economic alliances in the indo-pacific. and he couldn't even mention a single one. so pete hegseth could do all he wants to try to put women to make this about whether or not women are qualified to serve, when really this is about whether or not he's qualified to be secret

host: 15 minutes until that starts at the senate armed services committee.oom starting to fill up. you can see some of the action plan concerning pete hegseth later on today. ron up next, republican line. he's in vermont. caller: good morning. i would like to say that there have been certainly more than a couple presidents. i can think of kennedy and bill clinton who had questionable discussions, sexually or whatever. i really liked what they did for the country. i don't believe anything like that should really enter into qualifications for the job. guest: i think he will be able to respond to those questions in committee today. the democrats will be asking those questions. they have made statements to the press talking about that issue. he will be able to address them for the american people and for the senators who will vote to either confirm or deny his post. host: there was an op-ed by greg kelly, the concerns he had. he's a former military guy. "national secure deregulated -- regulations have made clear for decades that individuals susceptible to coerci

geoff: democrats on the senate armed services committee haven't seen the background check on mr. hegseth and there are reports that it does not include interviews with his ex-wives or the women who accused him of sexual assault in 20, which he denies. have you gotten and explanation from the fbi or the biden justice department about delays in providing the background check or answers to your questions about the thoroughness of it? amna: the fbi background check only looks at things the incoming trump administration asks them to look at. the fbi background check is actually something that must be requested by the donald trump transition team. they don't request to the fbi talk to the fbi. the women are not anonymous. we know who they are. they have come forward with their names. they are more than willing to talk to the fbi but they have not been questioned by the fbi. when we asked mr. hegseth today if the administration would request to the fbi talk to the women he said i don't know. i am not in charge of that. actually, he is. he would be the one to tell the trump transition te

tonight is democratic senator elizabeth warren of massachusetts. >> she's a member of the senate armed services committee and the senate finance committee and others. senator, i want to begin exactly where you left off there. and by the way, let me start with a question you maybe haven't thought of. will you go to work for a defense contractor when you leave the senate? and if you haven't thought about it, take your time and think about it. >> i haven't thought about it, and the answer is no. >> it seems pretty easy. >> yeah, it seems pretty easy. and that's the whole point. he has thought about this. he has thought about the corrosive effect of the revolving door. and i agree it is a corrosive effect. we really need to slow that down. and that's why i was so glad that our current secretary of defense, lloyd austin, four years ago, when he sat in that very same chair, made the commitment that he would not go into the defense industry. you know, that is the point. lloyd austin wanted to make clear. he is here to serve the american people. pete hegseth makes clear he is here to serve pete hegseth. >> this

pete hegseth, who is up for defense secretary, who's probably going to get through the senate armed services committeethis hearing, i don't know about all the other hearings being trainwrecks, but this hearing is going to be very contentious. there's going to be questions about his personal life, about his policy preferences. and, listen, this probably one of the least qualified, at least by traditional qualifications, to be defense secretary in recent memory. so that will be a very interesting hearing, to say the least. and what we're looking out for is who takes that, that pit bull of a role on the democratic side of the senate armed services committee, who goes after questions about his personal life, who goes after his qualifications and his policy preferences. he has said, for example, that women shouldn't serve in combat roles, something that has been unpopular even with some republicans. so just a host of lingering questions about pete hegseth. although, listen, i do expect that he will be confirmed based on our reporting. >> well, let me ask you about this. you know, the complaints, including

to put it generously. >> joining us now is a member of the senate armed services committee who will be questioning pete hegseth today, independent senator who caucuses with the democrats, maine senator angus king. senator, it's really good to see you again. thanks for coming in. blumenthal also said when he left the meeting, he's he has been told that there were significant gaps in the fbi background check on hegseth. he says he's been told because other than the chair and ranking, you guys haven't seen the background check. do you think there are gaps and is that a problem? >> i don't know because i haven't seen it. i think it should be made available to at least the members of the committee. we have a constitutional responsibility to advise and consent, and that means to analyze these candidates and to understand their backgrounds and all the issues that may be associated with their with their conduct, and particularly for this job. i mean, the standard has to be very high for secretary of defense. he's in the chain of command. he's in the the chain of of nuclear weapons use. this is

. >>> first senate con nation hearing on capitol hill day pete hegseth will appear before armed services committeen hour a large group of navy seals veterans lining up outside senate building to sort pete hegseth plan packing as many in hearing room as possible two hearings scheduled for today over alleged paperwork issues, veterans affairs doug collins rescheduled to scranton 21, doug burgum moved to this thursday chuck schumer reporting to turn into a circus, axios writes, hegseth appearing first shot to carry out demands by schumer skewer trump nominees maga brand chuck schumer yesterday. on the floor. >> over the next four days, over a dozen of the president-elect nominees will testify in committee. and make their case to the country. these hearings in a very real way, are the opening salvo for holding the trump administration accountable to the public. >> joining me west virginia senator chairwoman of the senate republican policy committee environment public works committee member senate -- appropriations transportation rules committee senator great to see you. thank you so much for being her

now, just sndocol othe senate armed services committee. is that just the chair and the ranking member receive a briefing on the fbi background investigation? so a lot of democrats have not been able to review this report in full themselves. that is standard protocol. but there are still democrats who are asking questions about what was and was not in the report. we do know that the top democrat on this committee, jack reed, met with his members last night to discuss what was in and what was not in this report. so expect that there's going to be questions about the information that democrats have access to, as well as questions about hegseth past. john. >> all right. lauren fox manning the hallways there. we know you will get pete hegseth the minute he walks in there. also, the other key players, thank you so much for being with us this morning, sarah. >> all right. now to the fire danger in southern california exploding once again as winds may hit near hurricane force. already a new fire has erupted. firefighters battling a fire now in ven

senate confirmation hearing to become the secretary of defense. we just saw him walk in. he's there at in the chamber getting photographed before things started. he will appear before the armed services committeeposing for photographs. joining us now, before we get started, nbc news senior white house correspondent garrett hake and nbc news pentagon correspondent courtney qb. courtney, we'll start with you. you obviously cover the pentagon there. you know, hegseth a veteran. he's going to make that, we are told, a big part of his introduction today. but there are real questions about his qualifications to lead such a massive, massive organization. >> yeah. and we shouldn't expect to hear that just in his introduction. we should hear that as a big part of pete hegseth side of this confirmation hearing today. he will repeatedly reinforce his role as a combat veteran. what we just heard as he was walking in the room, in fact, were applause and chants of usa! jonathan, i can tell you in the audience today are dozens of former service members, including a group of former navy seals who have gathered in dc today to try to rally and support of pete hegseth. that's something that we should be watching

eastern, defense secretary pete hegseth will appear before the senate armed services committee, facinguphill battle particularly with iowa senator joni ernst. we will be watching her question, senate minority leader chuck schumer reportedly plotting to turn the hearings into a circus, axios writes this, pete hegseth is the first shot to carry out the demands handed down by schumer, skewer trump's nominees in the maga brand, here is what schumer said himself. watch this. over the next four days the dozen of the president-elect nominees will testify in committee and make their case to the country and the opening for holding the trump administration accountable to the public. republican lawmakers are hopeful the process will be swift as nominees need a simple majority to be confirmed other hearing scheduled for this week, governor christie number homeland security secretary. pam bondi for attorney general, marco rubio for secretary of state and john ratcliffe for cia director. two hearing scheduled for today, we are postponed over alleged paperwork issues. in doug burgum. will see the two

here is how this morning will look like. 27 senators on armed services committee, each get seven minutes to ask questions, that is three hours of questions. could be more questions, kicks off 9:30 a.m. eastern team. >> steve: each of the senators get seven minutes in the first round. i suppose there could be a second round. there are no witnesses called in something like this, pete is the only witness? if democrats have a surprise, it will be in things they read or say, right? >> madeleine: yeah, that is our understanding that pete hegseth will be the only one appearing before the senate arms services committee. anything they have, they will have opportunity to ask pete hegseth this morning. pete hegseth will have a chance to speak with democratic senators this morning. many have not spoke with pete hegseth before this hearing is taking place, despite the fact pete hegseth spent several weeks trying to meet with republican and democratic lawmakers. >> brian: if you look at the democratic side jack reid, serious guy, janine, same thing. gilllibrand, same. these are ones i think will go ou

pete hegseth will answer questions before the senate armed services committee. he can expect some pretty tough questions from democrats, especially from someonllinois senator tammy duckworth, a combat veteran who lost both her legs in iraq. my panel is back now. uh, it is kind of remarkable. manu, that we were watching you run through the hallways. you were talking to senators. we were talking to our sources. and at the beginning of this process, this transition process, several of donald trump's nominees, including and especially the one we'll see tomorrow, pete were in trouble. yeah. doesn't seem like that. >> it doesn't seem that way because a lot of republicans have been convinced saying, let the process move forward. hold your concerns. don't don't draw any red lines. don't take any positions. and we've not heard any opposition whatsoever. and remember, in order to get confirmed, they need to make sure that they can limit republican defections to three. and at the moment we have not heard anyone say they're opposed to pete hegseth, even very notably joni ern

joining us now, a democrat who questioned pete hegseth today, senator tammy duckworth of illinois, is a key member of the armed services committee. she's also an iraq war veteran. senator, thanks so much for joining us. let's listen to this exchange you had with houthis about his knowledge of a key alliance in southeast asia. listen to this. >> senator kaine, or i guess i better use the senator from virginia starts bringing up the fact that. what if you showed up drunk to your job? 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? >> how many nations are in asean, by the way? >> i couldn't tell you the exact amount of nations, but i know we have allies in south korea and japan and in caucus with australia trying to work on submarines with them. >> mr.. >> hegseth, none of those countries are in allies across none of those three countries that you mentioned are in asean. >> all right. so we just heard that exchange. you had, that little exchange you had with hegseth. were you surprised he wasn't able to answer your question? >> i'm flabbergasted that h

welcome to the fastest show in politics as pete hegseth endures a grilling for the senate armed services committeeplan to become secretary of defense. we have more senators to go although more stylist -- most jealousy is on track to win the confirmation. kailey: keeping track he will be confirmed by a senate with a republican majority. republicans sounding more supportive of his prospects, than democrats who have criticized him on both character and qualifications. they discussed his views on women in the military, specifically asked allegations of sexual assault. he has also been impressed multiple times, including this now by senator tammy duckworth, on his ability to lead an organization like the pentagon, especially the cost cuts would like to

defense secretary nominee pete heg seth -- hegseth who is testifying today before the senate armed services committee. t colonel whether courage to stand up and say someone should be held accountable for that. no one else involved has ever taken accountability for. when that microcosm becomes the reality of the perception of the american military, or america's commitment to victory and success and positive outcomes, the world response to that. president trump is going to restore real deterrence by bringing a real warrior culture back, rebuilding our military, and ending wars properly. if we have to fight them, winning decisively. sen. banks: i served in afghanistan, you served in afghanistan. 75% of our nation's veterans disagree with how the withdrawal from afghanistan was handled, the embarrassment of it. with that done, i believe -- what that's done, i believe, has impacted the historic recruitment crisis in this country, without a doubt. you have already talked about that. how do we fix it? how do we bring pride back to wearing the uniform for the next generation and inspiring them to do what you

hegseth is going to be where most of the attention is tomorrow when he goes before the senate armed services committee and, and kicks off this trump confirmation hearing process. i think some 13 nominees are going to go before the senate this week. so this is our first view this week into what a trump administration will really look like. and to hear from the people who will be sitting atop these agencies and affecting policy across the board, that that national security team is the one that i think is going to have all the eyeballs on it. certainly hegseth knowing obviously all the reporting that's out there about his past. uh, alcohol issues, his the allegations against him that he totally denies about sexual assault, um, the way in which he behaved while leading some veterans organizations. all of this has been publicly reported and clearly is the subject of the fbi background check that has been briefed to the top republican and top senate democrat on the committee. but now the american people are going to hear senators sort of probe hegseth, and we will see how he performs under those bright ligh

. >> i spoke earlier to one of the democratic members of the senate armed services committee thomas senatorne. senator, did you get answers to the questions you had for pete hegseth. >> i did not. this was an unusual hearing in that he would not meet with me before the hearing. that's traditional. i have always done that with the secretary of defense nominees. i got seven minutes to ask him questions. i can find it -- confined it just to allegations about his character. when i asked him directly, should committing a sexual assault be disqualifying to be secretary of defense, he would not answer. i asked if being publicly drunk at work should be disqualifying and he would not answer. i asked whether anybody who commits violence against a spouse or partner should be disqualifying and he would not answer. there were other issues where we tussled back and forth. , but the character questions i had going in our only larger coming out. >> pete hegseth has said he has made mistakes in the past and has changed. he has reformed. is that something you believe? >> well, when you say i have changed and

newly elected senator jim banks sits on the senate armed services committee and will be a part of thatenator, congratulations on your win and thank you for joining the program this morning pete talks about being a change agent and agenda of the president. of course, he has written books about this. been championing for years. the democrats on the committee, they are not going to make it about the issues, right? >> that's right, lawrence. i just got to capitol hill, i walked into the senate office buildings and there are hundreds of veterans already lined up to come to capitol hill today to show their support for pete hegseth. many are wearing veterans for pete t-shirts to show their public support. a lot of them will be in the room today because pete will be the first secretary of defense from my generation. the post 9/11 generation of iraq and afghanistan veterans. he served in both places. i served in afghanistan so i appreciate his service immensely as two bronze stars and president trump is right. we need a change agent at the pentagon to clean up the mess of the last four years. b

the defense secretary now many will face the senate armed service committee on january 14th while termsk for director of national intelligence will meet tomorrow with senator mark warner. the top democrat on the senate intelligence committee. >> we have great nominees that work together and they work very highly. >> reporter: incoming national security advisor mike waltz says it's important to get trump's cabinet picks confirmed. calling the presidential transition a moment of vulnerability. the terror attack in new orleans raises additional concerns. trump claims president joe biden for rising radical islamic terrorism and violent crime in the country. the judge says trump will avoid prison time in his upcoming sentencing on friday. trump disputed his criminal conviction on truth social writing quote i never falsified business records, it's a fake made up charge by a corrupt judge. trump can attend his sentencing virtually are in person. he has not said which one he would pick quite yet. his team is looking forward to what they're calling a victory rally at capital one arena in washing

. >> reporter: before the senate armed services committee pete hegseth painted himself a change agent as president-elect donald trump's pick to head the department of defense. >> it is time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm. >> reporter: the iraq and afghanistan war vet stressed his focus would be on restoring a warrior mentality. republicans praised his experience on the battlefield. >> mr. hegseth will bring energy and fresh ideas to shake up the bureaucracy. >> reporter: democrats argued the 44-year-old isn't qualified for the demands of the job leading an agency of more than three million people with a budget of nearly $1 trillion, citing hegseth's handling of two veterans' nonprofits. >> by the time you left that organization had deep debts, including credit card transaction debts of about $75,000. >> reporter: they also went after hegseth's reported past abuse of alcohol and questioned allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual assault at a california hotel in 2017. >> i was falsely charged. fully investigated and completely cleared. >> reporter: lawmakers also ze

on tuesday, the senate armed services committee will begin the process to confirm one of trump's most controversial picks. former fox news host pete hegseth for defense secretary. hegseth previously faced accusations of sexual and financial misconduct, as well as alcohol abuse. he has denied the claims and has never been charged. but some senators are also concerned that the army national guard veteran does not have the experience to run the pentagon. he spent several days on capitol hill last month working to drum up support. >> what they want to do to make sure that department is properly oriented for the threats of the world, and make sure that we're putting the warfighters first. that's what donald trump asked me to do. >> abc news confirming the fbi interviewed multiple people about his personal life as a part of a background check investigation. hegseth himself sitting for an interview with the fbi as a part of that work. some of trump's other controversial and potentially very consequential nominees are still waiting for their hearing dates to be set. kash patel nominated to le

. >> senator tammy duckworth is a democrat from illinois who serves on the armed services committee. she's an army veteran who received her purple heart for injuries in iraq after a rocket propelled grenade crashed her blackhawk helicopter. and she joins me now. senator, thank you for joining us on what is a very busy day. >> thanks for having me on. yes, it was a very busy day and very insightful day, i think. >> well, let me ask you there, did you learn something new? did your mind change at all on anything? what was your takeaway from from the lengthy hearing today? >> well, my mind didn't change and unfortunately it further solidified my opinion that mr. hegseth is not qualified to be secretary of defense. he couldn't even answer some of my very basic questions about our alliances in the indo-pacific region. and he, you know, made it clear that he'd never let an audit, for example, even though he says he wants to audit the pentagon, and yet he never in fact, he never let an audit in any of the businesses that he ran before. and in fact, he's so badly mismanaged the finances of the

pete hegseth confirmation is looking ever more likely, as republicans on the senate armed services committeefor secretary of defense. most notably, iowa senator joni ernst, a military vet and a sexual assault survivor who had initially expressed skepticism about his background, his own on the record statements and his judgment. here she was back in december. >> i did have a ver

an fbi criminal background check was handed over to the senate armed services committee a few days ago. three sources with direct knowledge says the report does not include interviews with key women from his past, including his ex-wife or the women who accused him of sexual assault in 2017. there were no charges brought in that case. it's not clear if the women declined to be interviewed or the fbi did not reach out to them. hegseth is accused of having to step down from a non-profit role because of excessive drinking. lawyers for hegseth call that outlandish. >>e is lacking in the character and competence, absolutely vital in any secretary of defense regardless of party. and i am determined to bring out what he has done in mismanaging those two veterans organizations. there could be surprises, because we have been denied essential records, documents, materials. >> reporter: yesterday republican senator tommy tuberville held a press conference with navy s.e.a.l.s., but there have been several republican senators who have been noncommittal about their votes. if every democrat votes agai

from the senate armed services committee watch live on c-span3, c-span now or online at c-span. org. with the presidential inauguration set for january 20, watch the conclusion of the history series. litties to speeches. on saturday, hear speeches from president clinton. >> there is nothing with america that cannot be cured with what is right with america. >> president bush in 2001. >> this is my solemn pledge, i will work to build a single nation of justice and opportunity. >> and president obama in 2009. >> the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. they will not be easily or in a short span of time. but they will be met. >> watch historic inaugural speeches on c-span 2. >> democracy is always an unfinished creation. democracy is worth dying for.

she sits on the senate armed services committee. she has been she had some concerns. they had multiple conversations. she's, of course, someone who has actually worked to address the issue of sexual assault in the military, herself a sexual assault survivor. but as karl suggested, she is sort of changed her tune a bit over hegseth. and she's also facing reelection in two years. >> yeah, i mean, i think when you look at joni ernst, she is somebody who i think all of us were trying to get to right away. after some of these allegations came forward, especially regarding sexual assaults and allegations around that. but she is really she's been down to mar-a-lago. she's talked to him a couple of times. i mean, it seems as though a lot of her questions have really been answered, at least so far from the kind of posturing that we've been able to see. to me, the interesting thing is, really, is how republicans are trying to posit the democrats arguments on this, saying, you know, they're just trying to do what they did to brett kavanaugh, to pete hegseth. and so that is kind

so one of the leaders of the senate armed services committee received an fbi background check on hegsethate friday. but as recently as that afternoon, former key leaders of the two veterans organizations you talk about in your piece that hegseth ran said they had not been contacted by the fbi for the checks. i mean, you have obviously covered him extensively, but you've covered confirmation hearings extensively and national security officials extensively. does that surprise you? and what could they have learned if they'd contacted them? >> well, thanks so much. yes, i can confirm what your reporting is, too, which is that the fbi, it appears in its background check, skipped most of the key sources that might have really shed light on pete hegseth s background. and you have to. has this happened before? it has happened. i think anybody who watched the kavanaugh hearings will remember. there was sort of a similar situation there. and in both cases, the fbi has decided for these background checks to regard the administration, that is the trump administration, in both cases, the incoming one

senators are expected to vote on hegseth nomination the day of the inauguration next monday? my republican source was in the room there today. he's a member of the armed services committee, republican senator from oklahoma. markwayne mullin we those are the democrats we heard from. of course, republicans had their fair share of questions. but but on this news tonight that senator ernst says she is a yes. we have not heard that from her yet. what's your reaction to that? >> well, you know, she did her due diligence. she said from the beginning she was going to give pete a fair chance. pete did exactly what he said he was going to do. he was going to take the fight to the members and not let the media figure this out themselves. and he went from meeting, from meeting to meeting, meeting with one member at a time, explaining the situation, facing the tough questions. and then today, he handled himself with dignity and class. he took the oncoming fire. he was composed and he handled himself with with great compassion for the job. and i think at the end of the day, he was like, that's what i was looking for right there. and she waited till she saw what she needed to see and

on friday, we learned the top two senators on the armed services committee received the fbi's backgroundn light of these allegations. and one senators have been asking for. nbc news reports this, quote, the 25 member committee does not necessarily need to review this background check to proceed with the nomination hearing, but two committee sources familiar with the process said it was unprecedented that the report took this long to get to the panel's top members. that is where we start the hour with democratic senator richard blumenthal of connecticut, a member of the armed services committee. senator, i'll start with this. have you asked to see the report? and do you know anything of what is in the background investigation into pete hegseth? >> we've asked to see the background report. >> we've been denied access to it. >> in fact, we've asked repeatedly myself and other members of the committee, and we've asked for other records. >> i've written to the leadership of the committee twice, asking for documents and other materials that relate to his financial mismanagement of the two vete

this is the senate armed services committee. hegseth is president-elect trump's pick to be defense secretary. you're looking at the armed services chair, roger wicker. >> good morning. >> the hearing will come to order. >> let's listen in. >> the committee on armed services has convened this hearing to consider the pending nomination of mr. pete hegseth to be secretary of defense. and at this point, um, in light of the continued suffering and death in, in and around los angeles, california, i'm. i'm going to ask my colleagues and those in the audience to, um, observe a moment of silence. >> i'm in. thank you. i also want to take this opportunity to thank my good friend, um, ranking member jack reed. this is my first opportunity to chair this committee and this congress. i want to thank senator reed. under his chairmanship, he proved time after time that he cares deeply about national security and about the united states of america, and particularly the men and women who wear the uniform and stand watch both here and around the w

>>>>well, the senate armed services committee is expected to recommend headset for a full senate vote, but some republican senators have yet to confirm whether they will vote for him when that time does indeed come. well, overnight, the department of justice released its report into the election interference investigation into president elect donald trump, this after a florida judge greenlit the move. special counsel jack smith wrote, if it wasn't for the trumps imminent return to the presidency, there was enough evidence to obtain a conviction. the 137 page report highlights trump's false election fraud claims. trump lashed out on social media, maintaining his innocence, calling smith deranged. well, still ahead here at noon and streaming on cbs news bay area, we meet some of the crew members fighting the fires from the skies and hoping that nature will let them. plus, it's ready for a moon mission. the challenge for this lunar lander about to lift off from a these hands care for the herd. my hands need to be tough and sensitive. when my hands are dry and cracking it's hard to do my

this confirmation hearing for defense secretary in front of the senate armed services committee. 9:30 a.m. on c-span three is when and where you can watch that. wednesday it is marco rubio, his hearing before the senate foreign relations committee. that is 10:00 a.m. wednesday on c-span3. and elise stefanik's hearing for the next ambassador of the united nations if she is confirmed, c-span3, 10:30 a.m. eastern, again thursday, and there will be a lot more as well throughout the week, but those are some of the key ones. we spent 20 minutes focusing on senate and confirmation hearings. what is going on in the house this week? guest: not much to be honest. the house is focused right now on planning for reconciliation, which of the process by which republicans are going to try to pass president trump's agenda. obviously this then this whole debate about one dill or two bills. it seems like an unimportant process disagreement that folks should not be focused on, that i think they should be focused on it because the republicans need to come to an agreement on how to proceed here before they

he appears before the senate armed services committee tomorrow 27 senators get 20 minutes apiece to questionh. some republicans are forming the rearguard for the nominee. >> we will have this time tomorrow going through a confirmation process he will be ripped he will be demeaned he will be talked about but we are going to get them across the finish line. >> senate armed services to remand committee and the committee's top democrat jack reed just read a background file on head excess. he says he has more questions than answers. supporters are launching an operation to convince skeptical senators to vote yes. >> if your senator is on the fence put down earphones from recording us and call him right now and say you will hold them personally accountable in the electoral process if they do not support pete hegseth. is that clear of? >> trump national security advisor designate michael waltz and former senator norm coleman introduced hegseth to the committee tomorrow. chuck schumer is troubled by the nominee's background. >> if there is any cabinet position that ought to have a study and drama fr

members of the senate armed services committee grilled pete hegseth. why? , the secretary of defense manages a nearly $1 trilliona nn budget and 3.4 million personnel. democratic senators today zeroed in on his limited management experience and allegations of sexual assault and heavy drinking. there were also concerns raised about what he said about women in combat. the 44-year-old military veteran and former fox news personality was combative and unapologetic, denying many accusations. hegseth has vowed not to drink if confirmed to the top defense post but did not say he would resign if he faltered. cbs's nikole killion leads off our coverage tonight from capitol hill. >> reporter: defense secretary pick pete hegseth arrived on capitol hill this morning casting himself as a change agent. >> now it is true and has been acknowledged that i don't have a similar biography to defense secretaries of the last 30 years. but it's time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm. >> reporter: but the former army major was quickly bombarded by rapid fire, grilled

democrats on the senate armed services committee pressed the combat veteran over his past statements.seth previously argued women do not belong in combat. we have hundreds 100's. >> of women who are currently in the infantry and blasted him over accusations of assault, infidelity and drinking on the job. colleagues said that you got drunk and invent another colleague not anonymous. we have this said that you took co-workers to a strip club headset and says the claims are smear and has agreed to give up alcohol if confirmed is so ridiculous. houma republican mark mullen accused senators of hypocrisy. how many senators of showed up drunk to vote at night? iowa republican senator joni ernst who is keyed to heck says confirmation. >> demanded let's make it very clear for everyone. will you support women continuing to have the opportunity to serve in combat that is just the first of many cabinet picks that will appear before senators this week. >> pam bondi, trump's pick to lead the department of justice will appear before senators tomorrow. for now in washington. raquel martin, back to yo

cable satellite corp. 2025] announcer: coming up next, pete hegseth testified before the senate armed services committeehis nomination to be defense secretary. that house speaker mike johnson briefing reporters after the passage of a bill that would prevent transgender girls and young women from participating in women's sports at public schools. . and later, former white house chief strategist steve bannon discussing the first 100 days of the incoming trump administration. ♪ announcer: c-span, democracy unfiltered. we are funded by these television companies and more, including sparklight. >> what is great internet? is it strong? is it fast? is it reliable? at sparklight, we know connection goes beyond technology. from monday morning meetings to friday nights with friends, and everything in between. that the best connections are always there right when you need them. how do you know it's great internet? because it works. we are sparklight, and are always working for you. announcer: sparklight supports c-span as a public service along with these other television providers, giving you a front-row seat for

for secretary of defense, facing tough questions in a confirmation hearing before the senate armed services committee. my only special interest is the warfighter. the decorated combat veteran and former fox news host defending his credentials to lead the massive and complex department of defense. it's time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm a change agent. democrats tore into hegseth over his experience. we have someone who has never managed an organization. more than 100 people is going to come in and manage this incredibly important organization. and allegations of financial mismanagement at past veterans groups. by the time you left, that organization had deep debts. every dollar we raised was used intentionally. hegseth also faced a grilling over past comments that women should not serve in combat roles. what do you have to say to the almost 400,000 women who are serving today about your position on whether they should be capable to rise through the highest ranks of our military? i would say i would be honored to have the opportunity to serve alongside you. hegseth argued it's about

s. capital for the hearing before the senate armed services committee was on partisan lines. much cos, spelled questioning from democrats about the texas past. in particular, allegations of sexual misconduct is dawns on women in the military, as well as accusations of financial mismanagement of veterans organizations. but from republicans on the committee that was almost total support making clear that they believed in the president and lex pick as secretary of defense and backing him in as a session. that's the department needs someone with, as he puts it good on his boots. the senate's recommendation will now go to the full senate for approval of, to the, an organization next week. my kind of, i'll just here, a washington, the, you claims village. he says it even nice attack on russia. is it biggest since the stones of the war? nearly 3 years ago, most ago has filed kids actions will not go on the onset. the prototypes coincides with a news conference by farm is the 2nd level. it says russia is open to contact with the incoming trump administration. us up of all of a has moved from

wanting to see his fbi background report, so far given to leaders senate armed services committee.ocrats concerned it may not be thorough enough for a cabinet facing controversy and negative allegations. >> it is bipartisan. across the aisle. folks want to seat fbi background check. by i think we should get an opportunity to look at it. >> reporter: john barrasso coming to hegseth's defense. >> andy think pete is going to be terrific in tournaments of recruitment, morale, returning marijuana to a fighting force which is what the american people really want. >> reporter: aaron joins us live it the white house. aaron, there has been a delay in the confirmation hearing for another controversial trump cabinet pick it? >> reporter: yeah are, tom, tulsi gabbard's hearing this week to be director of national intelligence is being delayed because of a paperwork problem. the former congresswoman and veteran will likely face tough questions next week. tom. >> okay. aaron gilchrist at the white house. >>> we are tracking a winter blast set to blanket much of the u.s. temperatures 10 to 30 deg