Sen. Tammy Duckworth had little time for Pete Hegseth’s opinions on women in the military as she blasted his credentials to lead the Defense Department live on air.
The retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, who lost both of her legs in Iraq, responded on Face the Nation Sunday to controversial remarks from Donald Trump’s defense secretary pick that women should not serve in combat roles.
“Our military could not go to war without the 220,000 plus women who serve in uniform. The women in our military does make us more effective, does make us more lethal,” the Illinois senator said.
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Host Margaret Brennan then asked: “Having served in combat yourself, what do you think of the idea that women make fighting more complicated? That was specifically what he focused on.”
Duckworth didn’t hold back in her response, and smeared Hegseth’s resume while hinting she wouldn’t hold high hopes for him if he takes on the defense role in Trump’s cabinet.
“Well, it just shows his lack of understanding of where our military is. He was a pretty low-ranking guy in the military, and he never had a command position,” she said.
“He was a platoon leader, I think, once or twice, but he never even commanded a company. And so this is a man who is inordinately, unqualified for the position.
“Remember that the Pentagon is three million servicemen and women and civilians. It is over a$900 billion budget. He’s never, you know, run anything anywhere near to that size.”
Duckworth concluded by doubling down on the worthiness of women in the military, telling the CBS host: “And frankly, women actually make our military more effective. And I’ve personally found that I brought many insights to my job.
“When I was a company commander, when I was a logistics officer, that came from my own personal background, that made things better. I took better care of my men, for example, in my unit.”
She finished: “I was often the only woman in an all male unit, and my gender wasn’t a problem. I just adapted, and we continue to perform the mission.”
