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FOX FIRST: Democratic senators said Tuesday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has taken a number of controversial actions, even though earlier in the day he had repeatedly criticized President Trump’s defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth over his qualifications. However, he acknowledged that he would again support his confirmation if a vote were held today.
“If you had a vote for Lloyd Austin today, would you vote for him?” Fox News Digital asked Blumenthal on Tuesday.
Blumenthal responded, “I support General Austin as Secretary of Defense.” “I supported him when he was nominated. I will support Secretary Mattis, who was nominated in President Trump’s first term. I will not support this candidate. [Hegseth] They lack financial management skills, character and confidence, and a moral compass. ”
During the hearing, Blumenthal told Hegseth, “I don’t believe you can say to this committee or to the American people that you are qualified to lead this committee.”As Pentagon spokesperson, I support you.” I have no objection.” Your communication skills are fine, but we believe we have a right to the facts here. ”
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Sen. Blumenthal lambasted defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth during his confirmation hearing, and later admitted he would once again support President Biden’s defense secretary, Lloyd Austin. (Getty Images)
Mr. Austin has been widely criticized by conservatives as well as some Democrats for presiding over the chaotic and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan and several other missteps during his term. I told him that I was hospitalized.
“Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin oversaw a disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, forced China to make rapid advances to catch up with our nation’s defenses, left the Pentagon for days without a leader and went MIA, defending ” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X on Tuesday. “We need a decisive leader who can keep the Department of Defense focused on its mission of protecting America. We need Pete Hegseth.”
Republican Rep. Cory Mills of Florida, a veteran of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, unsuccessfully filed articles of impeachment against Austin in 2023, accusing Austin of “more than 25,000 He blamed this on a “lack of hiring” and said, “8,400 people were not hired.” You were kicked out of the military for violating the constitution…you have pronouns and DEI. [diversity, equity and inclusion] It’s taught in our military academies when we need to focus on what the next threat is and how to mitigate it. ”
“Not only do I think you should have resigned, but I personally recognize this as a dereliction of duty, and I take this very seriously,” Mills said at the hearing, before discussing Austin’s failures during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. I accept it,” he told Austin. . “Political optics should have taken precedence over real military strategy, should have kept Bagram Air Base, kept detention centers… occupied commercial airspace, HKIA (Hamid Karazai International Airport), and captured thousands of American We shouldn’t have shut down and locked up Americans by abandoning people.” ”
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President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testifies during the Senate military confirmation hearing at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 14, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Conservatives on social media also brought up a controversy dating back to Blumenthal’s first run for Senate in 2010, when Blumenthal was accused of serving in Vietnam even though he wasn’t. I have suggested this many times. Mr. Blumenthal received several draft deferments before serving in the Marine Corps. Mr. Reserve eventually admitted he had “misspoke” about his record, but said such instances were rare.
“It’s a little hard to accept that Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who lied about serving in Vietnam to get elected, is criticizing veteran Pete Hegseth,” said Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich. Posted on Tuesday on X.
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U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) speaks at a press conference (Mandel Gunn/AFP via Getty Images)
“Caution alert: Sen. Blumenthal has been lying for his entire adult life about a war he wasn’t in,” Fox News contributor Guy Benson posted on X.
Sen. Blumenthal insisted in a statement to Fox News Digital that Tuesday’s hearing was about Mr. Hegseth’s record, not Mr. Hegseth’s.
“The people of Connecticut have always been clear about my military history, which is why they overwhelmingly elected me to the U.S. Senate three times,” Blumenthal said. “This hearing concerns allegations of sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and financial mismanagement by Pete Hegseth, who is unqualified and unprepared to lead the 3.4 million Americans who keep our country safe. It has been shown that it is not possible.”
FOX News’ Michael Lee contributed reporting.
Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter for FOX News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email your tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.
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