'Vetting him was your responsibility': National security expert lays into GOP senator

A national security expert tore into a Republican senator for his apparent failure to exercise due diligence in vetting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's finances during his confirmation hearing.

On Monday, Hegseth announced on the X social media platform that the IRS opened an audit into his tax returns, claiming that he owes more than $33,000.

This followed shortly after Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), chair of the Senate Armed Service Committee and a strong proponent of military aid to Ukraine, admitted he was "disturbed" by Hegseth's comments in Brussels. Hegseth appeared to back off commitments to the United States supporting Ukraine's pre-2014 borders or eventual accession to the NATO alliance — both of which would represent big geopolitical victories for Russia.

Wicker went so far as to call Hegseth's speech a "rookie mistake."

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The new tax revelations, Marcy Wheeler argued, only reflect worse on Wicker's decision to shuttle Hegseth through to confirmation. At the time, Hegseth also faced separate allegations of sexual assault and chronic problem drinking.

"Hey @SenatorWicker? Now that you've admitted you sent someone wildly unqualified to Brussels (with predictably awful outcome), can you explain how @PeteHegseth got through your committee w/o disclosing his tax problems?" wrote Marcy Wheeler, who is known for security analysis through her "Empty Wheel" social media accounts. "Vetting him was your responsibility."

For his part, Hegseth has responded to his audit by accusing the "Biden IRS" of opening a "sham" tax investigation for political reasons.