‘Greatest warriors’: Hegseth rails against ‘misconstrued’ narrative that he’s against women in military

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, recently praised women in the military as some of the “greatest warriors” amidst criticism over his previous comments about women in combat roles. In a recent interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Hegseth clarified his stance on women in the military, stating that he fully supports and admires the contributions that women make to the armed forces.

“Women in the military are some of our best warriors out there,” Hegseth emphasized. “They love our nation, they want to defend that flag, and they do it every single day around the globe. I look forward to being a secretary for all our warriors, men and women, and appreciate the amazing contributions they make in our military.”

Hegseth is currently in the process of meeting with senators on Capitol Hill in order to secure the 50 votes needed for his confirmation as Secretary of Defense. Despite facing criticism for his previous comments regarding women in combat roles, Hegseth remains committed to serving all members of the military, regardless of gender.

In a podcast interview prior to his nomination, Hegseth expressed his belief that women should not serve in combat roles, citing concerns about effectiveness and complexity in combat situations. He also criticized the military leadership for prioritizing diversity quotas over combat effectiveness, pointing to a study by the Marine Corps that found integrated male-female units performed worse than all-male units.

Hegseth acknowledged the capabilities of women in the military but emphasized the importance of maintaining standards to ensure combat effectiveness. He stated, “I’m okay with maintaining the standards where they are for everybody. If there’s a female who meets those standards, great, they should be allowed to join the infantry battalion. But we cannot compromise on standards for the sake of diversity.”

As Hegseth continues to navigate the confirmation process, he remains focused on his commitment to all members of the military and their contributions to national defense. Despite differing opinions on women in combat roles, Hegseth’s dedication to serving the armed forces as Secretary of Defense is unwavering.