Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense, called him an “armchair tough guy” on national television during the 2016 presidential campaign.
In the March 4 Fox News clip, which CNN unearthed, along with a number of other comments he has made about Trump in the past, Hegseth wasn’t sold on the then-Republican candidate.
“It’s typical Trump: all bluster, very little substance. He talks a tough game, but when pressed on it, he’s an armchair tough guy,” Hegseth said during the segment. “I hate to say it. But this is a guy who said that John MccCain—he’s not a war hero, yet he sought his own five military deferments.”
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Some other comments from Hegseth that year include how he supported the use of waterboarding even after Congress banned it the year prior.
“If it’s going to keep us safe, all it would take is an executive order by the next president to change that law,” he said at a conservative forum.
Hegseth faces a host of scandals threatening his confirmation, including allegations of rape, making anti-Muslim comments, mismanaging two veterans organizations, and abusing alcohol. Hegseth, whose own mother accused him of mistreating women, is currently on his third marriage after having had affairs during the previous two.
