Controversial Pentagon Nominee Faces Backlash Over Past Remarks and Allegiances

Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta criticized comments by Pete Hegseth, Trump's defense secretary nominee, who opposed women serving in combat roles. Panetta, who lifted the ban on women in combat in 2013, argued that women meet the same standards as men and contribute to the military's effectiveness. Critics of Hegseth's stance, including former servicemembers, emphasize that women have successfully served in combat roles for years without lowering standards.