Pete Hegseth Wows the Room with a Powerful Opening Statement

Pete Hegseth Wows the Room with a Powerful Opening Statement

Hegseth’s words came after multiple interruptions from protesters, turning a chaotic confirmation hearing into a masterclass in resilience.

“The Department of Defense under Donald Trump will achieve peace through strength. And in pursuing these, America first national security goals will remain patriotically apolitical and stridently constitutional.

“Unlike the current administration, politics should play no part in military matters. We are not Republicans. We are not Democrats. We are American warriors. Our standards will be high, and they will be equal.

“Not equitable. That’s a very different word. We need to make sure every warrior is fully qualified on their assigned weapon system, every pilot’s fully qualified and current on the aircraft they are flying, and every general or flag officer is selected for leadership or promotion purely based on performance, readiness, and merit.

“Leaders at all levels will be held accountable, and warfighting and lethality and the readiness of the troops and their families will be our only focus. This has been my focus ever since I first put on the uniform as a young Army ROTC cadet at Princeton University in 2001.

“I joined the military because I love my country and felt an obligation to defend it. I served with incredible Americans in Guantanamo Bay, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and on the streets of Washington, D.C.

“Many of which are with me here today. This includes enlisted soldiers I helped become American citizens and Muslim allies I helped immigrate from Iraq and Afghanistan because when I took off the uniform, my mission never stopped.

“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 as President Trump also told me, we’ve repeatedly placed people atop the Pentagon with supposedly the right credentials, whether they are retired generals, academics, or defense contractor executives.

“And where has it gotten us? He believes, and I humbly agree, that it’s time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm. A change agent. Someone with no vested interest in certain companies or specific programs or approved narratives.

“My only special interest is the warfighter deterring wars and, if called upon, winning wars. By ensuring our warriors never enter a fair fight, we let them win, and we bring them home.

“Like many of my generation, I’ve been there. I’ve led troops in combat. I’ve been on patrol for days. I’ve pulled the trigger downrange, heard bullets whiz by, flex-cuffed insurgents, called in close air support, led medevacs, dodged IEDs, pulled out dead bodies, and knelt before a battlefield cross.

“This is not academic for me. This is my life. I led then, and I will lead now. Ask anyone who’s ever worked for me or with me. I know what I don’t know.

“My success as a leader—and I very much look forward to discussing my organization’s successes at Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. I’m incredibly proud of the work that we’ve done. But my success as a leader has always been setting a clear vision, hiring people smarter and more capable than me, empowering them to succeed, holding everyone accountable, and driving toward clear metrics.

“Build the plan, work the plan, and then work harder than everyone else around you. I’ve sworn an oath to the Constitution before, and if confirmed, I will proudly do it again. This time for the most important deployment of my life.

“I pledge to be a faithful partner to this committee, taking input and respecting oversight. We share the same goals: a ready, lethal military, the health and well-being of our troops, and a strong and secure America.”