Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., invoked secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth’s daughter during a heated hearing, prompting pushback from conservatives on social media who argued that the comments crossed a line. 

So you think you are completely cleared because you committed no crime?’ the former vice presidential candidate said to Hegseth during his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday. 

‘That’s your definition of cleared. You had just fathered a child two months before by a woman that was not your wife. I am shocked that you would stand here and say you’re completely cleared. Can you so casually cheat on a second wife and cheat on the mother of a child who had been born two months before? And you tell us you are completely cleared? How is that completely cleared?’

Kaine was commenting on Hegseth’s behavior in earlier marriages, including an October 2017 incident in Monterey, California, in which Hegseth was accused of sexual assault. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, was later cleared of wrongdoing following an investigation, and has since described the incident as consensual. ‘I was fully investigated and completely cleared,’ he said of the allegation.

‘Senator, her child’s name is Gwendolyn Hope Hegseth, and she’s a child of God,’ Hegseth responded. ‘She’s 7 years old, and I am glad she’s here.’

And you cheated on the mother of that child,’ Kaine responded. ‘Less than two months after that daughter was born, didn’t you?’

Hegseth told Kaine those were ‘false charges’ and reiterated that he was ‘completely cleared’ and ‘grateful’ to the marriage he has to the ‘amazing woman’ behind him.

Kaine persisted, ‘You’ve admitted that you had sex at that hotel in October 2017. You said it was consensual. Isn’t that correct?’

The two continued to go back and forth on the veracity of the claims against Hegseth, with Kaine pressing the nominee on whether he honored his wedding vow. 

‘I will allow your words to speak for themselves,’ Hegseth said at one point. 

As I’ve acknowledged to everyone in this committee, I’m not a perfect person. I’m not claiming to be,’ Hegseth said before being cut off by Kaine, who went on to accuse Hegseth of withholding information about the accusation when being vetted by the Trump team. 

Kaine ultimately moved on to questioning Hegseth about his relationship with drinking and other allegations that Hegseth has dismissed as ‘false.’

Conservatives on social media, along with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., at another point in the hearing, took issue with Kaine’s line of questioning, particularly invoking Hegseth’s daughter.

‘Senator Tim Kaine really did try to use Pete Hegseth’s 7 year old daughter against him, despicable,’ conservative commentator Drew Hernandez posted on X. 

‘IRONY ALERT: Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) tries to lecture Pete Hegseth on adultery,’ The First TV posted on X. ‘Reminder that Tim Kaine ran on the same failed presidential ticket as Hillary Clinton, legal wife of Bill Clinton.’

‘Tim Kaine has a lot to say about Pete Hegseth’s conduct during his marriage,’ Article III Project senior counsel Will Chamberlain posted on X. ‘Here’s Tim Kaine campaigning with Doug Emhoff, who – while married – impregnated his nanny and forced her to get an abortion.’

Fox News Digital reached out to Kaine’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report

President Biden on Tuesday signed proclamations to establish the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument, which will protect hundreds of thousands of acres of land in California, during his last week in office. 

The event was delayed by a week due to the destructive wildfires raging in Southern California, and Biden revealed that he had wanted to do the ceremony in the state, but it had to be moved to the White House. 

‘We’ve been carrying out the most aggressive climate agenda ever in the history of the world,’ the president said in the East Room of the White House, before discussing the national monuments. ‘Our natural wonders are the heart and soul of our nation.’ 

He said in his second week as president he signed an executive order ‘establishing the first ever conservation goal to protect 30% of all our lands and waters everywhere in America by 2030 … I call this national campaign America the Beautiful … And over the last four years, we’ve delivered … putting America on track to meet that bold goal, restoring it, creating new national monuments, conserving hundreds of millions of acres of land and waters all across America, from New England to Minnesota, Texas to Colorado, Arizona, Alaska.’ 

He added, ‘Over the past four years, I’m proud to have kept my commitment to protect more land and water than any president in American history.’ 

The Chuckwalla National Monument will protect more than 600,000 acres of public land in the California desert near Joshua Tree National Park and the Colorado River, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. 

The Sáttítla Highlands National Monument will protect more than 224,000 acres of land in Northern California in the Modoc, Shasta-Trinity, and Klamath national forests and ‘provides protection to tribal ancestral homelands, historic and scientific treasures, rare flora and fauna, and the headwaters of vital sources of water,’ according to the U.S. Forest Service.

: Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, officially endorsed Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense on Tuesday night, despite expressing some initial uncertainty following their first meeting. 

‘After four years of weakness in the White House, Americans deserve a strong Secretary of Defense,’ Ernst told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement.

‘Our next commander in chief selected Pete Hegseth to serve in this role, and after our conversations, hearing from Iowans, and doing my job as a United States Senator, I will support President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense. As I serve on the Armed Services Committee, I will work with Pete to create the most lethal fighting force and hold him to his commitments of auditing the Pentagon, ensuring opportunity for women in combat while maintaining high standards, and selecting a senior official to address and prevent sexual assault in the ranks.’

President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense (DOD) went before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday morning, where he faced questions from both Democratic and Republican members. 

During the hearing, Ernst pressed Trump’s DOD choice on women in combat, sexual assault in the military and auditing the department. 

Ernst, a survivor of sexual assault herself, said, ‘A priority of mine has been combating sexual assault in the military and making sure that all of our service members are treated with dignity and respect. This has been so important. Senator Gillibrand and I have worked on this, and we were able to get changes made to the uniform code of military justice to make sure that we have improvements, and on how we address the tragic and life altering, issues of rape, sexual assault. It will demand time and attention from the Pentagon under your watch, if you are confirmed.’

‘So, as secretary of Defense, will you appoint a senior level official dedicated to sexual assault prevention and response?’ she asked Hegseth. 

Trump’s DOD choice told the senator that he would agree to do so. 

Ernst had previously expressed uncertainty about her support for Hegseth, agreeing with Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer when he suggested she wasn’t quite ready to say yes to his confirmation. ‘I think you are right,’ she said on ‘America’s Newsroom.’

The senator’s support is a welcome development for Hegseth because, in order to be confirmed, its expected he will need nearly every Republican to back him, with room to lose only two of their votes. This is assuming that no Democratic senators choose to back him, in which case, he would have more flexibility with Republicans. 

Hegseth took numerous pointed questions from Democrats, along with several criticisms. The senators prodded him over allegations regarding alcohol consumption, sexual assault and financial mismanagement. 

He has denied each of the allegations. However, Democratic senators emerged from the hearing unconvinced by Hegseth. 

Reactions poured in on social media and elsewhere as Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth was grilled by Democrats on Capitol Hill following a tense confirmation hearing that often got personal.

‘Pete Hegseth is crushing it,’ Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer posted on X. ‘It is refreshing to hear someone relentlessly focus on warriors and lethality, without playing Washington’s word-salad game of forcing nominees to talk like social workers who run government agencies.’

‘The Senate likes to claim that hearings as serious, deliberative acts of policy making and statesmanship, but many Senate Armed Service Committee Democrats’ behavior during Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing on Tuesday revealed the sad truth that most Senate hearings, confirmation or not, are kabuki theater,’ Bradley Devlin, The Daily Signal politics editor, told Fox News Digital. 

Ned Ryun, President of ‘American Majority’, told Fox News Digital that Hegseth handled himself ‘magnificently.’ 

‘He communicated a clear vision for a new day at the Pentagon where the Department of Defense leaves behind the weakness of woke and focuses on deterrence through strength,’ Ryun said. ‘And when Democrats attempted to use the anonymously sourced attacks to undermine Pete, he handled those with grace. It really was a fantastic hearing for him and leaves little doubt in my mind that he’ll easily be confirmed.’

‘They didn’t lay a glove on Hegseth today,’ CNN political commentator Scott Jennings posted on X. ‘Why do Dems send their dumbest members to this important committee?’

‘This hearing has made two things abundantly clear: 1. The left remains fully committed to the disastrous, woke, weak, and failed policies that were soundly rejected in November,’ the account belonging to former HUD Secretary Ben Carson and his wife Candy posted on X. ‘It’s actually sad. 2. Pete Hegseth is going to be a fantastic Secretary of Defense. This is how it’s done.’

‘While Democratic senators distracted with hearsay allegations and character assassinations, Pete Hegseth stayed the course on what the military is about: lethality,’ Caroline Downey, National Review Staff Writer and visiting fellow with Independent Women’s Forum, told Fox News Digital. 

‘As the daughter of a West Point graduate and Army Captain who served in Vietnam, I can say that those prime objectives have fallen subservient to progressive political goals,’ she continued. ‘The military academies have surrendered to woke ideology, jeopardizing their purpose which is to form upstanding leaders of intellectual, mental, and physical fortitude that can protect and defend the United States. Despite Democratic lawmakers accusing him of forsaking veterans, Hegseth proved that he has always been dedicated to their welfare not just in words but in deeds.’

Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said after the hearing that it is important that Hegseth is confirmed ‘immediately’ and allowed to start as soon as possible.

‘To me, it’s important he gets on the job immediately,’ Banks told reporters.

‘We can’t vote on confirming him out of the committee until President Trump is President Trump again. So January 20th, the committee will meet and we’ll pass him out of the committee… and hopefully he immediately goes to a vote on the floor because we can’t wait,’ he continued.

Following the hearing, several Senate Democrats expressed a continued unwillingness to support Hegseth and claimed he wasn’t qualified.

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report

President-elect Donald Trump’s selection to be attorney general in his new administration faces the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning at a confirmation hearing. 

Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) in late November after former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., withdrew from consideration. 

The Wednesday hearing begins at 9:30 a.m., and Bondi will be questioned by both Republican and Democrat members of the committee.

‘I hope that the Democrats give the same … courteous consideration to [her] that Republicans did of [Attorney General Merrick] Garland,’ Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital ahead of the hearing.

‘[A]nd I hope people stay within their timeline, because we’ve got to move right along,’ he added.

Members of the committee include Grassley and Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Katie Britt of Alabama and Mike Crapo of Idaho. 

Also on the committee are ranking member Dick Durbin, D-Ill., as well as Democrat Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Chris Coons of Delaware, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Alex Padilla of California, Peter Welch of Vermont and Adam Schiff of California.

Durbin met with Bondi last week but emerged from their discussion with remaining concerns.
‘In today’s meeting, I raised concerns with Ms. Bondi regarding her record – one in which she served as a personal attorney to President-elect Trump, was a leader in the effort to overturn the 2020 election, and has echoed the President-elect’s calls for prosecuting his political opponents. In addition, Ms. Bondi has a long track record of opposing fundamental civil rights, including reproductive rights, voting rights, and LGBTQ+ rights,’ he said in a statement.

‘The role of the Attorney General is to oversee an independent Justice Department that upholds the rule of law and is free of undue political influence. Given Ms. Bondi’s responses to my questions, I remain concerned about her ability to serve as an Attorney General who will put her oath to the Constitution ahead of her fealty to Donald Trump,’ he added.

The ranking member is likely to question Bondi during the hearing on these same subjects. 

On Monday, Durbin outlined several concerns he has with Trump’s pick.

‘The obvious concern with Ms. Bondi is whether she will follow the bipartisan tradition of the post-Watergate era and oversee an independent Department of Justice that upholds the rule of law. Ms. Bondi is one of four personal lawyers to President-elect Trump who he has already selected for Department of Justice positions. She was a leader in the effort to overturn the 2020 election. She has echoed the President[-elect]’s calls for prosecuting his political opponents, and she has a troubling history of unflinching loyalty to the president-elect,’ he said in floor remarks.

The attorney general hopeful met with Grassley in early December, after which he said in a statement, ‘Pam Bondi is a well-qualified nominee with an impressive legal career, including eight years as Attorney General of the State of Florida and nearly two decades spent as a prosecutor. Bondi is prepared to refocus the Justice Department (DOJ)’s attention where it ought to be: on enforcing the law and protecting Americans’ safety.’

The Judiciary chair promised the committee would ‘move swiftly to consider her nomination when the 119th Congress convenes in January.’

Trump praised Bondi in his November announcement, writing in part, ‘For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore.’

‘Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again,’ he continued. ‘I have known Pam for many years — She is smart and tough, and is an AMERICA FIRST Fighter, who will do a terrific job as Attorney General!’

Since being picked by Trump, Bondi has received several influential endorsements. Recently, 60 former Democrat and Republican attorneys general urged senators to confirm her in a letter. Further, dozens of former Justice Department officials called on the Judiciary Committee last week encouraging them to confirm Trump’s choice.

Expect a traffic jam in the Senate soon as the race is on to confirm President-elect Trump’s cabinet nominees.

In short, nothing can happen until President-elect Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Yes, there will be plenty of Trump loyalists attending various inaugural balls around town.

But once the inauguration festivities conclude at the Capitol, the Senate will get down to business. A handful of committees are already angling to schedule ‘markups’ to potentially discharge or send various nominations to the floor. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has already teed up a meeting for 3:15 pm et on January 20 for the nomination of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to be Secretary of State. And if the custom holds, the Senate will confirm at least a few of Mr. Trump’s nominees just hours after he takes the oath of office.

Let history be our guide:

The Senate confirmed Trump’s Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly on the evening of January 20, 2017. The next confirmation didn’t come until January 31, 2017. That was Elaine Chao, wife of former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), to be Transportation Secretary.

In 2021, the Senate confirmed one of President Biden’s nominees shortly after he was sworn-in. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines was the first Biden nominee confirmed – on the night of January 20, 2021. The first, full cabinet-level vote did not come until January 22, when the Senate confirmed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

So, while everyone is trying to squeeze into their tux on Monday night, look for the Senate to potentially vote on a nominee or two on the evening of January 20th.

Fox is told that the most likely candidates might include Rubio – since he is a known quantity in the Senate and has bipartisan support. Another possibility would be CIA Director nominee John Ratcliffe. The Senate previously confirmed Ratcliffe as the Director of National Intelligence during the first Trump Administration. He is also a known entity in the halls of Congress and served as a Republican congressman from Texas. His hearing is on for tomorrow.

Frankly, the ambitious timetable of approving several of the nominees quickly could be challenging.

The Senate Energy Committee had to postpone Tuesday’s confirmation hearing for Interior Secretary Doug Burgum from Tuesday until Thursday due to delays over paperwork. Veterans Affairs Secretary nominee Doug Collins is not controversial. He is a former GOP congressman from Georgia. But his confirmation hearing for Tuesday was pushed back until next week. Collins may have been one figure who could have been confirmed quickly.

Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi is also one who could secure relatively speedy confirmation. Her hearing is Wednesday and Thursday. So maybe next week for her? Unclear.

But let’s examine the track record of the Senate confirming President Biden’s nominees and place it against expectations for the new Trump Administration.

After Lloyd Austin, the Senate confirmed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on January 25, 2021, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on January 26. Most cabinet officials weren’t confirmed until February or March. The Senate did not confirm Interior Secretary Deb Haaland until March 15, 2021, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra until March 18, 2021, and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh until March 22, 2021.

You get the idea.

Every nominee must go through a hearing. Committees have different rules about how they discharge a nomination to the floor. So that could consume some time as well. Some nominees could be bottled up in committee, depending on opposition or attendance problems. Then there may be debate on the floor.

If Democrats filibuster a nominee, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) may need to tee up a procedural gambit to break filibusters. The process of just initiating a procedural vote to break a filibuster consumes parts of three days alone. If a nominee’s opponents still don’t relent, it’s possible that senators could drag out debate on a nominee for day or two – even though the Senate has broken a filibuster.

In February 2017, Mike Pence became the first Vice President to break a tie to confirm a cabinet official. He did so to confirm former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

In other words, floor time is at a premium. There are various parliamentary ‘meridians’ for when the Senate can take certain procedural votes to advance a nominee. That’s why the Senate took a procedural vote at 7 am on the DeVos nomination in February 2017. The Senate also confirmed then Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price around 2 am one morning.

And we haven’t even gotten to other nominations which are important to the Administration – such as Pete Hoekstra to be Ambassador to Canada or Mike Huckabee to serve as Ambassador to Israel. There are more than 800 positions which require Senate confirmation.

To accelerate things, the Senate could confirm some swaths of non-controversial nominees ‘en bloc.’ That means the Senate clears the nominees on both sides to make sure there are no objections. If there are none, the Senate compiles a list and confirms a group of nominees together in one fell swoop.

But this is a long and tedious process. Confirming various positions in the Trump administration is going to take months. It consumes hours of floor time. That’s the most precious commodity in the Senate. Keep in mind that the push to confirm Trump nominees comes as the Senate is trying to work out a time agreement and amendments to pass the Laken Riley Act and a bill to sanction the International Criminal Court over its arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This is a monster process. And it will likely consume some early mornings, very late nights and even some weekend sessions before this is settled.