Navigating Vetting Challenges in Senate Confirmations

Matt Gaetz has dominated the spotlight in Washington since President-elect Donald Trump announced him as nominee for attorney general. But Gaetz is far from Trump’s only contentious pick. On Capitol Hill, concerns are mounting about Pete Hegseth, the Fox News personality Trump picked to run the Department of Defense. There are concerns about Hegseth’s experience — he served in the military, but has never run a complex and vast organization. There are concerns about his controversial views — including that women should not be able to serve in combat roles. And then there are concerns about alleged sexual misconduct stemming from an encounter he maintains was consensual but which the woman in question maintains was not. What should we expect as Washington’s gaze turns to Hegseth? Defense reporter Joe Gould joins Playbook co-author Rachael Bade to discuss.