Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski — who broke with her party on numerous occasions to support former President Joe Biden’s nominees — became the first Republican senator to publicly oppose Pete Hegseth’s nomination to serve as Defense secretary.

Hegseth wants to restore honor to Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg, the native North Carolinian whose name was replaced at Fort Bragg last year. | Opinion

A telling moment in the supremely depressing Senate confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, the Fox News personality who is Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, came right at the beginning, when the former Republican senator Norm Coleman introduced him.

As author of several books and a former Fox News Channel host, Hegseth has been forced to defend himself against a long record of his own public comments, including in his most recent book, “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free.”

Pete Hegseth must be approved by the GOP-led Senate Armed Services Committee before he can go before the full Senate for confirmation.

A cursory review of Hegseth’s background reveals he has little knowledge or experience of complex national security issues.

The former combat veteran and TV news show host says he will be a “change agent” and a “warrior” for the department.

Democrats say Hegseth’s lack of experience, his past comments about women and Black troops and allegations of excessive drinking, and sexual misconduct, make him unfit to serve.

Wicker did not specify what day the vote would take place, but said it could be as late as next Thursday if Senate Democrats do not allow the chamber to speed up the confirmation process.

Pete Hegseth, center, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to ... The outgoing defense secretary appointed by President Joe Biden, Lloyd Austin, served in a more senior capacity, leading the 3rd Infantry Division from Kuwait to Baghdad.

A Democrat senator admitted Tuesday that he would support Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's confirmation again if the vote was held today despite Austin's many controversial actions and repeatedly grilling Trump's SecDef nominee Pete Hegseth over his qualifications earlier in the day.

Pete Hegseth vowed to foster a "warrior culture" at the Pentagon and be a "change agent." He did not address the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking, focusing instead on his combat experience.