1. United States
2. Wisc.
3. Letter

The potential confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense is a grave and urgent matter that would represent a seismic erosion of public trust in the U.S. government. The disturbing allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct against Hegseth strike at the core integrity required to lead America's Armed Forces and national defense apparatus. Rubber-stamping his nomination in the face of such damning accusations would signify a wholesale abandonment of rigorous vetting standards and send a disastrous signal that the most basic ethical benchmarks no longer apply. This reckless decision would inflict irrevocable harm on America's standing and credibility on the world stage at a time when robust leadership and unimpeachable moral authority are paramount. The Senate has an existential duty to the nation to exhaustively investigate these profoundly troubling claims and reject Hegseth's confirmation unless conclusively exonerated to restore faith that the government remains committed to upholding the values and principles its most senior officials must embody.