1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

The President-elect's nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, is grossly unfit for the position based on documented incidents of mismanagement, inappropriate behavior, and lack of qualifications. A concerning pattern of drunken misconduct, financial improprieties, and unacceptable conduct towards women during his leadership of the veterans' organizations Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. Hegseth displayed an inability to competently manage even small teams, let alone the immense Department of Defense, a bureaucracy with millions of personnel and over $800 billion annual budget. His pursuit of personal interests over professional responsibilities, coupled with multiple allegations of sexual misconduct while inebriated on the job, completely undermine the integrity and good judgment required for such a critical national security position. Furthermore, Hegseth defended providing false information in response to a sexual assault allegation raising disturbing questions about his truthfulness and willingness to be held accountable. A Secretary of Defense must maintain the highest ethical standards and commitment to the military's values. I urge you to resolutely oppose this thoroughly unqualified and unacceptable nomination in order to protect the interests of our armed forces and national security. The American people and our brave service members deserve far better leadership atop the Defense Department than what Hegseth's well-documented record portends.