In a high-stakes confirmation hearing held on Tuesday, Pete Hegseth found himself under scrutiny not only from the senators present but also from the American public at large. The confirmation hearing served as a platform for Hegseth to address the concerns of those who are unfamiliar with him or disapprove of President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of him for the critical role of defense secretary.
A recent poll indicates that approximately 20% of Americans support Hegseth’s nomination for this key position, which would place the 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran and former weekend host at Fox News in charge of U.S. military operations. Conducted prior to his confirmation hearings, the survey from the AP-NORC Center reveals that around one-third of U.S. adults express disapproval of Trump’s choice, while about 10% neither approve nor disapprove. Significantly, one-third of respondents indicated they do not have enough information about Hegseth to form an opinion.
While his tenure in the Army National Guard is viewed as a beneficial aspect of his candidacy, Hegseth also carries a controversial past, featuring allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking, and disparaging comments about women serving in combat roles, ethnic minorities, and ‘woke’ leadership. He has publicly committed to abstaining from alcohol if he is confirmed as the Pentagon’s leader.
Republican men appear to express stronger opinions regarding Hegseth’s nomination, with about 40% approving of Trump’s choice and only 10% disapproving. However, around one-third of Republican voters have yet to form a stance on Hegseth. Among Republican men, nearly half endorse his nomination, while only a third of Republican women share that sentiment. Interestingly, a significant portion of Republican women—approximately 50%—remain undecided about their view on him.
Hegseth received backlash for his previous stance against women serving in combat roles, although he has since revised his position, now stating, “if we have the right standard and women meet that standard, roger. Let’s go.” He faced questioning from notable female combat veterans including Republican Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa and Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth from Illinois.
The approval rating for Hegseth is also influenced by the age demographic of Republicans, with around 50% of those over 45 supporting his nomination, while only about 30% of younger Republicans under 45 share that approval. Many younger party members have not yet formed a decisive opinion regarding his candidacy.
Despite Hegseth’s claims during the hearing that he would serve as a “change agent” for the Department of Defense, the polling data shows a lack of government experience is generally viewed unfavorably by many Americans. About 50% believe it is detrimental for the president to rely on individuals without government backgrounds for advice, while only 25% perceive it as beneficial. Another 25% held neutral views, stating it is neither advantageous nor disadvantageous.
Contrastingly, Republicans are comparatively more inclined to see value in the president consulting those lacking government experience, with around 40% of Republicans supporting this viewpoint. In contrast, only about 20% of independents and roughly 10% of Democrats echo this sentiment.
The poll, conducted with a sample of 1,147 adults between January 9-13, maintains a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points for the overall adult population.
