Moderte Sen. Susan Collins said she will not be backing Pete Hegseth for the role of secretary of defense under the Trump administration.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, will not support the confirmation of Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the defense department, citing a lack of experience and concerns over his past comments regarding women.
Several Republican senators remained on the fence about Hegseth’s nomination as he faced a grilling from members of the Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing in January.
Collins cited a lack of experience and Hegseth’s previous comments about women serving in the military as reasoning for her decision to not back the Trump nominee.
“While I appreciate his courageous military service and his ongoing commitment to our servicemembers and their families, I am concerned that he does not have the experience and perspective necessary to succeed in the job,” Collins wrote in a post on X on Thursday.
“His limited managerial experience involved running two small non-profit organizations that had decidedly mixed results,” Collins wrote in a lengthy social media post.
MODERATE REPUBLICAN MURKOWSKI WON’T BACK TRUMP PICK HEGSETH FOR DEFENSE SECRETARY
In November, Hegseth said that he believes that “we should not have women in combat roles” during an appearance on the Shawn Ryan Show, a comment that has raised concerns from senators whose support is crucial in advancing his nomination.
“I am also concerned about multiple statements, including some in the months just before he was nominated, that Mr. Hegseth has made about women serving in the military,” the senator said. “He and I had a candid conversation in December about his past statements and apparently evolving views. I am not convinced that his position on women serving in combat roles has changed.”
Another Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, revealed on Thursday that she would also not be supporting Hegseth due to “allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking,” which he has denied.
On Thursday, the Senate passed a motion to invoke cloture for Hegseth’s nomination, advancing his confirmation to a final vote.
