Sen. Tammy Duckworth Criticizes Sen. Joni Ernst’s Reversal on Hegseth Nomination Amid MAGA Pressure

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) strongly criticized Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) after Ernst reversed her opposition to Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, under pressure from MAGA allies. Duckworth raised serious concerns about Hegseth’s qualifications and the circumstances surrounding Ernst’s change of stance.

Appearing on MSNBC with host Katy Tur, Duckworth addressed Ernst’s statement that Hegseth’s ex-wife, Samantha Hegseth, had disputed allegations of abuse made by her sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth. However, Duckworth pointed out inconsistencies in the claims.

“Let’s just start off by saying that the ex-wife did not swear that it did happen,” said Duckworth. “There was a statement that came out from her lawyers. Remember that this ex-wife is dependent on Mr. Hegseth for child support that she has very young children, and she has expressed deep fear of him in the past.”

Duckworth highlighted that Samantha Hegseth’s statement was carefully crafted, saying only: “There was no physical abuse in my marriage.” However, allegations from Danielle Hegseth indicated that Samantha feared for her safety, including claims that she hid in a closet and had a code word for escaping dangerous situations.

Ernst initially voiced reservations about Hegseth but faced swift backlash from MAGA supporters, including high-profile figures like billionaire Elon Musk, who threatened to fund primary challenges against Republicans opposing Trump. Soon after, Ernst reversed her position, a move Duckworth characterized as capitulating to political pressure.

“So much so that she, not long after that, surprisingly came out and said, ‘Oh, I don’t actually have any reservations anymore,'” Duckworth said. “I think this is all about people buckling under Donald Trump. And it is really quite sad because this is about the operational readiness of our United States military.”

Duckworth also questioned Hegseth’s ability to perform the job effectively, citing his lack of qualifications. “I mean, he’s just not qualified,” she stated. “I asked him very simple questions about, you know, what type of international negotiations would you have to engage in as a secretary of Defense. And he couldn’t answer that.”

She added, “I don’t see him ever going toe-to-toe with the secretary of defense of the People’s Republic of China.” Ernst, who faces re-election in 2026, has drawn criticism for her reversal, which Duckworth framed as prioritizing political loyalty over the readiness of the U.S. military.