Trump's Second Term Hearing First Speaker Hegses: "North Korea is a Nuclear Power" (Summary)

Controversies Over Expertise, Sexual Violence, and Alcohol...
"Organized Slander"
Rubio’s Hearing Scheduled for the Next Day...
"China Became a Superpower at the Expense of the United States"

Donald Trump’s second-term cabinet’s first nominee for a confirmation hearing in the United States is Pete Hegseth, the nominee for Secretary of Defense. Hegseth referred to North Korea as a 'nuclear power' for the first time, signaling a potential shift in the next administration’s North Korea policy. He emphasized plans to reassess U.S. military posture in the Indo-Pacific region and stressed the expansion of defense spending by allied countries.

On the 14th (local time), according to The New York Times (NYT) and CNN, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee held a confirmation hearing for nominee Hegseth that lasted over four hours.

Pete Hegseth, Nominee for U.S. Secretary of Defense. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

"North Korea, a Nuclear Power... Sharing Defense Spending Burdens with Allies"

In a pre-submitted response, nominee Hegseth referred to North Korea as a 'nuclear power.' He stated, "North Korea’s status as a nuclear power, its intense focus on increasing the range of missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads, and its growing cyber capabilities pose a threat to stability on the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific region, and the world."

The term 'nuclear power' includes countries legally recognized under international law as having the right to develop and possess nuclear weapons, such as the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France, as well as countries that are not officially recognized but effectively possess nuclear weapons, including India, Pakistan, and Israel. Until now, the U.S. government has demanded 'complete denuclearization' from North Korea, which has illegally developed nuclear weapons in violation of international norms such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and has not officially recognized North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons.

However, Hegseth’s remarks, as the future leader of defense policy under the Trump administration, could be interpreted as tacitly accepting and acknowledging North Korea’s nuclear weapons possession. Based on this changed perspective, the next administration’s North Korea policy direction may also shift. Unlike the first Trump administration and previous U.S. positions aiming for North Korea’s denuclearization, the focus may change to nuclear arms reduction or freeze negotiations.

Meanwhile, the White House drew a line regarding Hegseth’s remarks and reaffirmed the existing stance. John Kirby, White House National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson, said, "I can’t speak to how the next security team will define that," but added, "We have not gone so far as to acknowledge it."

Regarding the U.S. military posture in the Indo-Pacific region, Hegseth said, "Considering China’s historic and rapid military buildup and the urgency to reestablish deterrence, we must accelerate efforts to strengthen our force posture and expand operational capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. If confirmed, I will review our posture in the Indo-Pacific and prioritize efforts to find ways to advance those initiatives."

When asked if he supports efforts to strengthen the U.S. Forces Japan command and control structure, he responded, "Developing joint warfighting capabilities with Japan and improving interoperability will greatly enhance our deterrence posture in the Indo-Pacific," and said he would work to find an appropriate command and control structure. He also stated that to counter China, "It is important to forward-deploy relevant forces and establish an anti-access/area denial defense system in the Western Pacific."

Regarding defense spending, he said, "Increasing defense spending and burden-sharing among allies and partners is important to ensure our relationships are not one-sided," adding, "Allies and partners understand that the U.S. will continue to emphasize that strong and healthy alliances cannot be one-sided." This aligns with President-elect Trump’s calls for increased defense spending from South Korea and NATO. There is growing speculation about renegotiating South Korea’s defense cost-sharing in Trump’s second term.

Controversies Over Career, Sexual Violence, and Alcohol... Republicans Defend, Democrats Criticize

During the hearing, the two parties clashed sharply over Hegseth’s qualifications. Republicans actively supported Hegseth, while Democrats criticized him over lack of expertise, sexual violence, alcohol use, sexism, and relationships with women. Hegseth dismissed the allegations as "organized slander."

Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan. Democrats questioned his expertise due to his unconventional background compared to typical defense secretary candidates. However, Republican Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said in his opening remarks, "He will bring energy and fresh ideas to shake up bureaucracy," and noted, "Most of the criticism comes from anonymous sources," rebutting the attacks. Republican lawmakers praised Hegseth’s communication skills, likely considering his Fox News hosting experience.

Democrats intensified their attacks. Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed said, "According to various sources including your writings, you have issues including disregard for the laws of war, poor financial management, racially and sexually discriminatory remarks toward soldiers, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, and harassment," adding, "This makes it impossible for you to be confirmed as Secretary of Defense, let alone hold any leadership position in the military."

Senator Tim Kaine attacked Hegseth’s relationships with women three times, citing that before divorcing his second wife in 2017, he met his third wife and had a child, and that he cheated less than two months after the child was born.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand pointed out Hegseth’s past claim that "female soldiers should not participate in combat." Hegseth backtracked, stating that female soldiers can participate in ground combat and that he respects all female soldiers.

Alcohol-related controversies were also raised. Allegations include Hegseth once drunkenly shouting "Kill all Muslims" and taking colleagues to a strip club to dance with strippers. Hegseth denied these claims, and Republicans moved to defend him. Republican Representative Markwayne Mullin retorted, "Do you know how many senators come to vote drunk at night?"

He also faced criticism for failing to properly name countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) when questioned by Senator Tammy Duckworth, raising further doubts about his qualifications.

Hegseth is considered the second most likely nominee to be rejected after former Representative Matt Gaetz, who resigned as nominee for Attorney General amid allegations of soliciting minors. However, U.S. media generally view Hegseth’s chances of rejection as low. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, so unless more than three Republicans defect, Democratic votes are not needed for confirmation.

CNN assessed, "The Hegseth confirmation hearing set a challenging tone ahead of several contentious hearings in the Senate over the coming weeks."

Rubio: "China Became a Superpower Through Lies and U.S. Sacrifice"

The following day, on the 15th, a confirmation hearing is scheduled for Senator Marco Rubio, nominated for Secretary of State. According to Bloomberg News, Senator Rubio plans to criticize, "The Chinese Communist Party lied, cheated, hacked, and rose to global superpower status at the expense of the United States." He is known as a leading hawk on China in U.S. politics.

He is also expected to express anti-immigration views, criticizing Latin American dictators and drug terrorists for encouraging mass immigration and harming American society.

Rubio is also likely to advocate strong 'America First' policies. According to a speech obtained by Bloomberg, he will say that voters chose President-elect Trump because they want a strong America that promotes peace abroad and prosperity at home, and if confirmed, this will be the core mission of the State Department. He will state that while the U.S. will never be indifferent to the suffering of others worldwide, the administration will ensure that all funded programs benefit the country.

However, Rubio’s confirmation process is not expected to be as controversial as Hegseth’s. Bloomberg noted that Rubio has long served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is unlikely to face significant opposition from either Republicans or Democrats.