Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary
Episode: Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing & Israel-Hamas Deal Nears | 1.15.25
Release Date: January 15, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley and Georgia Howe

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1. Pete Hegseth’s Defense Secretary Confirmation Hearing

Overview of the Hearing

The episode opens with a heated discussion surrounding the confirmation hearing of Pete Hegseth for the position of U.S. Secretary of Defense. Hosted by Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley and co-host Georgia Howe, along with insights from senior editor Cabot Phillips, the segment delves into the contentious atmosphere of the hearing.

Hegseth’s Defense Against Democratic Attacks

Pete Hegseth faced intense scrutiny from Senate Democrats who questioned his qualifications and personal integrity. At [00:03], Hegseth rebuffed allegations, stating, “those are multiple false, anonymous reports peddled by NBC News that run directly contradictory to the dozens of men and women at Fox News who I work with.” Despite the aggressive questioning from Democrats, including inquiries from Senator Brandon about his responses ([00:15] & [00:17]), Hegseth maintained his composure, emphasizing his commitment to military excellence.

Qualifications and Allegations

Cabot Phillips provides a comprehensive background on Hegseth, highlighting his Princeton education, 20-year military career with deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, and leadership of the nonprofit organization, Concerned Veterans for America. Despite his credentials, Democrats attacked Hegseth’s personal life, bringing up past infidelity and uncorroborated claims of sexual misconduct ([03:59]). Hegseth addressed these allegations candidly, admitting to past mistakes and seeking forgiveness, asserting, “[...] I have failed in things in my life, and thankfully, I'm redeemed by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” ([04:19]).

Military Culture and DEI Quotas

A significant part of Hegseth’s testimony focused on restoring a “warrior culture” within the Department of Defense. At [05:01], he stated, “We are not Republicans. We are not Democrats. We are American warriors.” He criticized race and gender quotas, arguing that lowering military standards undermines readiness and meritocracy. Hegseth emphasized that all service members, regardless of gender or race, must meet the same rigorous standards ([05:11]).

Political Implications within the GOP

Despite initial doubts about his confirmation, Hegseth secured support from 50 of the 53 Republican senators, signaling a united front within the party. Georgia Howe noted the possibility of his confirmation vote occurring as soon as the following week ([06:05]). This unity suggests strong backing from the GOP, positioning Hegseth as a formidable candidate to lead the Defense Department.

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2. Wildfires in Southern California and Political Response

Impact of Wildfires

The podcast shifts focus to the devastating wildfires ravaging Southern California. John Bickley reports that over two dozen lives have been lost, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is under increasing criticism for her handling of the crisis ([07:02]). Daily Wire senior editor Ash Shorthey provides on-the-ground insights, detailing the anxiety and uncertainty faced by residents and business owners ([07:17]).

Legislative Response and Political Agenda

While the fires continue to devastate, the California state legislature, dominated by Democrats, allocated $50 million to oppose President Donald Trump’s agenda, with half earmarked for defending illegal immigrants ([06:48]). Ash Shorthey highlights the controversy, noting that Republicans in the state are frustrated with the Democrats' priorities, arguing that the funds should instead address the immediate wildfire crisis ([08:23]).

Criticism of Mayor Karen Bass

Mayor Bass faces severe backlash for her perceived negligence, particularly her absence during the onset of the fires due to a taxpayer-funded trip to Ghana. Ash Shorthey contrasts her actions with those of her mayoral opponent, Rick Caruso, who proactively hired private water tankers to protect key properties ([09:48]). The situation has sparked a grassroots movement demanding Bass’s resignation, with over 100,000 signatures on a Change.org petition ([09:34]).

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3. Israel-Hamas Ceasefire and Hostage Release Deal

Details of the Potential Deal

The episode also covers the emerging Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release negotiations, marking a significant development 466 days after the Hamas attack on Israel. Deputy Managing Editor Tim Rice outlines the proposed deal, which includes three phases:

• Phase One ([12:13]): Over 42 days, 33 hostages, including seven Americans, will be released. Concurrently, the Israeli Defense Forces will begin withdrawing from Gaza, maintaining a security perimeter.
• Phase Two: On day 16, negotiations for the subsequent phases will resume.
• Phase Three: Israel will release 50 Palestinian terrorists and 50 female prisoners in exchange for each female hostage freed.

Reactions to the Deal

The potential deal has elicited mixed reactions. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized it as a “surrender deal” and a “catastrophe for the national security of the state of Israel” ([13:05]). Additionally, former Daily Wire editor Ben Shapiro expressed skepticism, emphasizing concerns that the deal might incentivize future hostage-taking ([13:27]).

Influence of Donald Trump’s Involvement

Trump’s involvement appears to be a pivotal factor in driving the negotiations forward. Tim Rice discusses how Trump’s comments and participation alongside the Biden administration have pressured Hamas, contributing to the proximity of an agreement ([13:59]). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the collaborative efforts of both administrations in pushing the negotiations forward ([14:02]).

Prospects and Implications

While the deal is not without its flaws and critics, it represents a hopeful step towards resolving a prolonged and bloody conflict. Tim Rice remains cautiously optimistic, noting that the deal could be finalized in the coming days, contingent upon Hamas’s official acceptance ([11:16]).

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Conclusion

The January 15th episode of Morning Wire presents a comprehensive overview of pivotal events shaping national and international landscapes. From the high-stakes confirmation hearing of a Defense Secretary nominee to the political maneuvers amidst California’s wildfire crisis, and the potential breakthrough in the Israel-Hamas conflict, hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe deliver incisive analysis and timely reporting. This episode underscores the intersection of politics, leadership, and crisis management, offering listeners a detailed insight into the current state of affairs.

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For more detailed discussions and updates, tune into Morning Wire on The Daily Wire platform.

Transcript

[Pete Hegseth]

Senator, those are multiple false, anonymous reports peddled by NBC News that run directly contradictory to the dozens of men and women at Fox News who I work with.

[Brandon]

I'm not hearing the answer to my question.

[John Bickley]

Pete Hegseth fends off attacks from Senate Democrats in a heated confirmation hearing.

[Georgia Howe]

When might he be confirmed and does he have the votes?

[John Bickley]

I'm Daily Wire Editor in Chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Wednesday, January 15th, in this is Morning Wire. As wildfires continue to ravage Southern California, the state's lawmakers set aside tens of millions to oppose Trump's agenda.

[Georgia Howe]

We should not be distracted by a.

[Pete Hegseth]

Special session to pay more government lawyers to sue Donald Trump.

[Brandon]

That's not the right direction.

[Georgia Howe]

And Israeli hostages could reunite with loved ones soon as ceasefire negotiations close in on a deal.

[Brandon]

It's right on the brink. It's closer than it's ever been before. But right now, as we sit here, we await final word from Hamas on its acceptance.

[John Bickley]

Thanks for waking up with MORNING wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.

[Brandon]

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[John Bickley]

Fireworks abounded in D.C. tuesday as confirmation hearings for Trump Cabinet slots began, with defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth kicking things off.

[Georgia Howe]

Here with the highlights is Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips. So, Cabot, we expected this hearing to be particularly contentious and it was. What were the takeaways?

[Brandon]

Yeah.

[Cabot Phillips]

So, first quick refresher on the debate surrounding Hegseth. Democrats say he's unqualified for the role and painted him as a Fox News host, role he did hold most recently. But it's a bit disingenuous to just call him a TV personality. Hegseth graduated from Princeton before enlisting in the army, serving 20 years as an officer with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, where he received numerous medals, including two bronze stars. After that, he ran Concerned Veterans for America, a large nonprofit advocating for vets during his opening statement before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hegseth laid out his and Donald Trump's vision for the Department of Defense.

[Pete Hegseth]

When President Trump chose me for this position, the primary charge he gave me was to bring the warrior culture back to the Department of Defense. He, like me, wants a Pentagon laser focused on lethality, meritocracy, war fighting, accountability, and readiness. Unlike the current administration, politics should play no part in military matters. We are not Republicans. We are not Democrats. We are American warriors. Our standards will be high, and they will be equal, not equitable. That's a very different word.

[Cabot Phillips]

And while the audience was full of his supporters, including dozens of Navy Seals and Green Berets, there were also a handful of protesters who tried to disrupt the hearing before being physically carried out by police.

[Pete Hegseth]

Have a listen in our ranks. Members of the security force will remove.

[Tim Rice]

Members.

[Georgia Howe]

So protest from the crowd. But there was also some from the committee. What did we hear from Democrat senators?

[Cabot Phillips]

Well, they went after Hegseth on both a personal and professional level. A number of Democrats brought up Hegseth's past infidelity, along with uncorroborated reports of sexual misconduct. Now, Hexeth strongly denied those allegations, but conceded that he had been unfaithful in the past and had asked forgiveness from God.

[Brandon]

You've taken an oath.

[Pete Hegseth]

Like you would take an oath to be Secretary of Defense in all of your weddings, to be faithful to your wife. Is that correct? I have failed in things in my life, and thankfully, I'm redeemed by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

[Cabot Phillips]

Other Democrats brought up media reports quoting anonymous former co workers of his who claimed he'd routinely come to work drunk. Though it's worth noting, the only former co workers who spoke about him on the record said those accusations were totally false. According to Hegstadt, those stories were part of a smear campaign organized by those threatened by him taking control of the Dodge.

[Pete Hegseth]

Why do they want to destroy me? Because I'm a change agent and a threat to them. Because Donald Trump was willing to choose me, to empower me, to bring the Defense Department back to what it really should be, which is war fighting.

[Cabot Phillips]

Later on, Hegseth also touched on the topic of race and gender quotas in the military. In his words, lowering the standards to accommodate DEI quotas leaves the military unprepared.

[Pete Hegseth]

In those ground combat roles. What is true is that the weight of the ruck on your back doesn't change. The weight of the 155 round that you have to carry doesn't change. And so whether it's a man or a woman, they have to meet the same high standards. And Senator, in any place where those things have been eroded or in courses, criteria have been changed in order to meet quotas, racial quotas or gender quotas, that is putting a focus on something other than readiness standards, meritocracy and lethality.

[Cabot Phillips]

Now remember, as long as Hexad secures votes from 50 of the 53 Republican senators, he's in at the start of the process. He really was viewed as anything but a sure bet, though, and there were very real concerns that some GOP members would not get on board for his confirmation. But this first hearing is any indication the party appears united around him?

[Georgia Howe]

Well, a vote could come as soon as next week. Cabot, thanks for reporting.

[Cabot Phillips]

Anytime.

[Brandon]

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[Georgia Howe]

As fires continue to rage across Los Angeles, state politicians voted to allocate $50 million to fight incoming President Donald Trump and his policies, with half of that money being devoted to protecting illegal immigrants.

[John Bickley]

More than two dozen people have lost their lives in the ongoing wildfires, and criticism is increasing for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Here are the latest on the deadly situation is Daily Wire senior editor Ash Shorthey. Ash, so what's the latest in California?

[Ash Shorthey]

So it's still a nightmarish situation. Daily Wire investigative reporter Spencer Lindquist was on the ground in LA and explained what residents and business owners are going through as the city continues to battle the fires.

[Cabot Phillips]

There's a lot of anxiety right now in Los Angeles about these next couple of days, which are expected to be particularly critical in the fight against these fires. Yesterday, the winds died down and gave firefighters a brief window of opportunity, but the Santa Ana winds are expected to pick back up and they could spread the fire even farther. Home and business owners still aren't sure when they'll be able to go and check on their properties, and many have just recently discovered the state of their.

[Brandon]

Homes and of their livelihoods.

[Ash Shorthey]

Morningwire also Spoke with a business owner who lost his studio in the fire.

[Pete Hegseth]

My business is a landscape design studio, so I just, do you know any exterior space? But I found out like Wednesday morning when I got a video from the guy that owns the pizza place there.

[Tim Rice]

He just sent a video out to.

[Pete Hegseth]

People and it was just like watching it burn.

[Brandon]

It was like just actively burning.

[John Bickley]

So people are clearly still suffering, but lawmakers in the state have found the time to focus on something else. Is that correct?

[Ash Shorthey]

Right. On Sunday, the Democrat controlled California state legislature agreed to allocate $50 million to fight the incoming Trump administration with $25 million specifically set aside to defend illegal immigrants. Democrats who have a super majority in the state, will likely vote on the deal to make it official sometime week before Trump's inauguration. Senate Budget Chair Scott Wiener said the agreement, quote, cements California's readiness to serve as a bulwark against Trump's extremist agenda.

[John Bickley]

Right. So clearly anti Trump legislation. And I'm assuming state Republicans disagreed with us?

[Ash Shorthey]

Absolutely. Republicans in the state legislature have been trying to get a special session to focus on responding to the fires that are still raging in la, but that hasn't happened yet. Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher called out California Democrats for their misplaced priorities, saying quote, at a time when California should be laser focused on responding to the devastating wildfires in LA, Democrat lawmakers Priority is creating a $50 million slush fund to hire government lawyers for hypothetical fights against the federal government and to defend criminal illegal immigrants from being returned to their home countries.

[John Bickley]

Are not pulling any punches there. Now switching gears a bit, it seems not all lawmakers in the state are able to pass the buck. As we've reported, LA Mayor Karen Bass is really taking a lot of criticism for her handling of the sit. What's the latest with her?

[Ash Shorthey]

Bass is facing serious backlash for not even being in LA when the fire started. As we previously reported, she was on a taxpayer funded trip to Ghana even though she had said she would not take overseas trips as mayor. In stark contrast to Bass, her opponent in the mayoral race, Rick Caruso, took action when warned about the fire danger. The billionaire developer hired private water tankers to protect his Palisades Village mall from the LA fires. It is one of the only structures remaining in the and a column from journalist Peter Hamby at Puck News explained that this exact scenario with wildfires, celebrities losing their homes, looters taking advantage of evacuation orders, strong Santa Ana winds, has all happened before. Hamby spoke to super agent Ari Emanuel, a donor to Bass mayoral campaign, who said quote, if it is true that she left the country on a Saturday after warning came out, that is a dereliction of duty. Meanwhile, as we mentioned yesterday, an online [e-mail] demanding that bass resign continues to rack signatures. The count's now well over 100,000, so a grassroots effort to get her out is underway.

[John Bickley]

It seems like there might be some political consequences for the mayor. Ash, thanks for reporting.

[Ash Shorthey]

You're welcome.

[John Bickley]

466 days after the Hamas October 7th attack on Israel, the two parties may finally be striking a deal to release the remaining hostages in Gaza.

[Georgia Howe]

Here with the latest on this rapidly developing story is Daily Wire Deputy Managing editor Tim Rice. So, Tim, this is potentially a very big moment. How likely is it this deal goes through?

[Tim Rice]

Hey, good morning, Georgia. We first got word of a potential deal on Monday after mediators reportedly delivered a draft hostage and ceasefire deal to both Israel and Hamas. Neither party has publicly commented, but sources close to the negotiations have said that Hamas is very amenable to the deal and very close to signing on the dotted line. Yesterday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the deal was right on the brink, closer than it's ever been before. But Blinken also cautioned against celebrating too early, noting that nothing was set in stone until Hamas officially agrees to the deal. Here's Blinken.

[Brandon]

That could come anytime. It come in the hours ahead. It could come in the days ahead. That's what we're looking for. But what we've done over the last weeks and especially over the last days has put it right there.

[Georgia Howe]

So what do we know about the terms of the deal?

[Tim Rice]

It's important to note that this is all still in flux and could be changing even as we speak. But the Jerusalem Post reported that the deal will unfold in three phases. Phase one is expected to last 42 days, and on day one of that phase, 33 hostages will be released. Remember, Hamas took 241 hostages on October 7th. Around 98 of those hostages are still in Gaza, and only about half of them are believed to be alive. That group includes seven Americans. Over the remaining days of phase one, the Israeli Defense Forces will begin withdrawing from Gaza, though they will maintain a presence in a still undefined security perimeter. And on day 16 of that first phase, Israel and Hamas will resume negotiations about what the next phases of the agreement will look like. Meanwhile, Israel has agreed to release 50 Palestinian terrorists serving life sentences and 50 female prisoners for every female hostage released.

[Georgia Howe]

So how are people reacting to the deal?

[Tim Rice]

You know, it's drawn some scrutiny. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called it a surrender deal and said it was a catastrophe for the national security of the state of Israel. Another Israeli leader warned that the deal could end with dozens of hostages being left behind. Yesterday, Daily Wire editor emeritus Ben Shapiro shared his thoughts on the deal.

[Brandon]

I think the deal is not good, but that is because my belief is that if Israel does not, in fact, make the strip quiescent, if Israel does not retain control over the Gaza Strip, then they are setting themselves up for further failure. I also think that the generalized math in which Israel has participated and this is Israel's own fault for decades, which basically says they will trade terrorists, like living, actual murderous terrorists for innocent people who are taken hostage, leads Israel's enemies to take hostages.

[Georgia Howe]

So certainly not a perfect deal, but pivotal nonetheless. Why are we seeing movement now?

[Tim Rice]

Well, there's obviously the success of Israel's ongoing campaign in Gaza, including its successful targeting of several Hamas leaders. It may just be that Hamas is finally being worn down, but there's also a lot of speculation that the imminent return of Donald Trump to the White House has lit a fire under things. Trump envoys joined negotiations alongside representatives from the Biden administration in recent days, and it seems like their presence had an impact. When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Biden about negotiations on Sunday, he thanked Biden and Trump for cooperating in this sacred mission. Trump has really turned up the heat on Hamas, saying just the other week that there would be all hell to pay if the terror group did not release its hostages before he took office. So it seems like Hamas has really taken Trump's comments to heart.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, hopefully we get some good news out of Gaza in the next few days. Tim, thanks for reporting.

[Tim Rice]

Anytime.

[John Bickley]

Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back this afternoon with more news. You need to know.