{"id":2390559,"date":"2025-01-15T11:30:01","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T16:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hegseths-performance-amid-ugliest-questioning-unites-republicans-byron-york-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-01-15T11:32:17","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T16:32:17","slug":"hegseths-performance-amid-ugliest-questioning-unites-republicans-byron-york-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hegseths-performance-amid-ugliest-questioning-unites-republicans-byron-york-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Hegseth\u2019s performance amid \u2018ugliest questioning\u2019 unites Republicans: Byron York &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhegseths-performance-amid-ugliest-questioning-unites-republicans-byron-york-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2390559&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article from\u200b the *Washington Examiner* discusses Pete Hegseth&#8217;s performance during\u200d his Senate confirmation hearing\u200b for Secretary\u2062 of Defense in president-elect Donald Trump&#8217;s Cabinet. Byron York,\u2062 the \u200bpublication&#8217;s chief\u200b political correspondent, describes Hegseth&#8217;s \u2062appearance as &#8220;really \u200bstrong,&#8221; \u200bnoting that it helped solidify his support among Republicans, even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-defends-record-on-building-border-wall-during-contentious-questioning-at-cnn-town-hall\/\" title=\"Trump defends border wall record at CNN town hall amid tough questioning.\">amid tough questioning<\/a> from Senate \u200cDemocrats. york highlighted the particularly aggressive questioning from Senator Tim Kaine, calling it &#8220;some of the ugliest&#8221; he has witnessed in such \u2064hearings. He \u2064expresses confidence that Hegseth might navigate the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hollywood-celebs-rage-in-defeat-after-barrett-confirmation-revolting-disgraceful-unconscionable\/\" title=\"Hollywood Celebs Rage in Defeat After Barrett Confirmation: &#039;Revolting. Disgraceful. Unconscionable&#039;\">confirmation process<\/a>\u200c successfully due<\/a> to his strong showing and the\u2064 unity it \u200cfostered among Republican senators.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Hegseth&rsquo;s performance amid &lsquo;ugliest questioning&rsquo; unites Republicans: Byron York<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1935476\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner&rsquo;s<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/author\/byron-york\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Byron York<\/a> assessed that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pete-hegseth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Pete Hegseth<\/a>&lsquo;s &ldquo;really strong&rdquo; performance in Tuesday&rsquo;s Senate confirmation hearing solidified his support among Republicans despite excessive grilling from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate-democrats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Senate Democrats<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>During Hegseth&rsquo;s hearing for secretary of defense in President-elect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a>&lsquo;s Cabinet, many Democrats questioned him over various allegations against him and his qualifications to properly fulfill the role. York, the <em>Washington Examiner&rsquo;s<\/em> chief political correspondent, was asked if Hegseth could &ldquo;sail through&rdquo; the confirmation process from here on out, to which he agreed, citing his performance at the hearing and how it &ldquo;united&rdquo; Senate Republicans.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;And I have to say, some of the questioning at that hearing, particularly by Senator Kaine, the Democrat from Virginia, who actually was Hillary Clinton&rsquo;s running mate in 2016, it was some of the ugliest questioning I have ever seen in a Senate confirmation hearing,&rdquo; York said on Fox News&rsquo;s <em>Fox &amp; Friends<\/em>. &ldquo;So I think the question, maybe, from the Hegseth hearing is whether Democrats are going to try that with anybody else, certainly might with the more controversial nominees, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard. But I don&rsquo;t think we&rsquo;re going to see that with any of the ones going in front of the Senate today.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100%; max-width: 640px; max-height: 360px; min-width: 320px; min-height: 180px; overflow: hidden;\">\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/share.grabien.com\/share.php?id=2756204&amp;userid=11311&amp;loginid=9421&amp;playercolor=%23000000&amp;playersize=auto&amp;code=0b82a43d754a44e85f77594c56c74d28\" style=\"position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: 0px;\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/3285801\/pete-hegseth-confirmation-hearing-senate-trump-defense-nominee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">questioning Hegseth<\/a>, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) said the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pete-hegseth-draws-attention-over-edward-gallagher-controversy-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Pete Hegseth draws attention over Edward Gallagher controversy - Washington Examiner\">defense secretary nominee<\/a> had &ldquo;fathered a child two months before&rdquo; an alleged assault against a woman &ldquo;that was not your wife.&rdquo; Hegseth maintained that the allegation of sexual assault was &ldquo;false&rdquo; but did not deny that the sexual encounter occurred.<\/p>\n<p>Additional hearings for Trump&rsquo;s nominees are continuing Wednesday, including for Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/marco-rubio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Marco Rubio<\/a> (R-FL) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pam-bondi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Pam Bondi<\/a>, the latter of whom is Trump&rsquo;s nominee for attorney general. York predicted that Bondi could receive &ldquo;some of the tougher questioning,&rdquo; specifically from Democrats over her support of some of Trump&rsquo;s claims on the 2020 election.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, Rubio could end up receiving &ldquo;kind of a lovefest&rdquo; in this confirmation process. Trump nominated Rubio to be his administration&rsquo;s secretary of state.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Tuesday saw two key Republicans, Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3287151\/two-republicans-announce-support-hegseth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">announce their support for Hegseth following his hearing<\/a>. The two previously expressed hesitation but chose to advocate their support for Trump&rsquo;s nominee.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3282443\/trump-cabinet-hearings-who-is-coming-to-capitol-hill-this-week\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Other nominees who will face hearings on Wednesday\">Other nominees who will face hearings<\/a><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3282443\/trump-cabinet-hearings-who-is-coming-to-capitol-hill-this-week\/\" target=\"_blank\">  Wednesday<\/a>&nbsp;include Russell Vought, Trump&rsquo;s nominee for director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Sean Duffy, his nominee for <\/span>transportation secretary.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1935476\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1935476\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hegseth&#8217;s strong performance unites Republicans, says York<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2632,"featured_media":2390560,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Hegseth-Byron-York-scaled-1024x685.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[37928,45173,33457,3756,32076],"class_list":["post-2390559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-byron-york","tag-hegseth","tag-media-analysis","tag-republicans","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Hegseth-Byron-York-scaled-1024x685.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2390559","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2632"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2390559"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2390559\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2390564,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2390559\/revisions\/2390564"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2390560"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2390559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2390559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2390559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}