Republican Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri attacked Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies during Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing while using a misspelled sign. Newsweek called Schmitt's D.C. office for comment on Tuesday evening.

On Jan. 14, 2025, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for defense secretary, appeared in front of the Senate's Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing.

Hegseth faced questions about his ability to run the defence department, including its three million employees and massive budget.

The Senate moved to hold a vote on whether to confirm Pete Hegseth as secretary of defence. The decision was close—two Republicans joined all of the Democrats in voting against moving the confirmation procedure to its final stage.

The Senate voted Thursday to advance Pete Hegseth's nomination to be President Donald Trump's defense secretary, putting him on a path to final confirmation at the end of the week. The vote was 51-49,

As the Senate approaches its final confirmation of Pete Hegseth to be defense secretary, Democrats are continuing to raise their concerns about his character and fitness to lead the nation's largest department.

The U.S. Senate narrowly voted on Thursday to advance the nomination of Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host and military veteran, to be President Donald Trump's secretary of defense, clearing the way for a vote on his confirmation later this week.