'Not a perfect person'
Senator Jack Reed, the committee's ranking Democrat, put it bluntly: "Mr Hegseth, I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job."
"We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you. A variety of sources -- including your own writings -- implicate you with disregarding the laws of war, financial mismanagement, racist and sexist remarks about men and women in uniform, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other troubling issues," Reed said.
Asked by Republican Senator Roger Wicker, the committee chair, about allegations Hegseth has faced, the nominee claimed there was a "coordinated smear campaign" against him.
"I'm not a perfect person, but redemption is real," Hegseth said, later asserting he was "falsely accused" of sexual assault and dismissing accounts of alcohol abuse as "anonymous smears."
He can only afford three Republican rejections and still be confirmed, should every Democrat and independent vote against him.
But he has maintained Trump's support while the excoriating headlines have multiplied, and Senate Republicans appear open to hearing him out.
Former Democratic congresswoman turned Trumpist Tulsi Gabbard, who was tapped for director of national intelligence, is another candidate whose lack of qualifications and experience have raised alarm bells, as have her attitudes toward US adversaries.
Some pressure on the nominees is expected from both sides of the aisle, especially for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's nominee for secretary of health and human services and an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist.
But US senator and foreign policy hawk Marco Rubio of Florida, Trump's pick for secretary of state, is a sure bet with bipartisan support, and will likely be confirmed before Trump takes office on 20 January.
Rubio gets his hearing Wednesday, along with homeland security secretary nominee Kristi Noem, attorney general nominee Pam Bondi and CIA pick John Ratcliffe, who has been confirmed by the Senate before as director of national intelligence.
Some of the most potentially fiery hearings are yet to be scheduled, including for Kennedy and Kash Patel, a conspiracy theorist who is Trump's nominee to run the FBI.
(Source: W.G. DUNLOP, AFP)
