Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Calls Out Secretary Hegseth for Sharing Anti-Women Message; Demands Response

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reposted and praised a video that included pastors saying women shouldn't vote and that "women are the kind of people that people come out of." In the days following, Secretary Hegseth has failed to retract this statement and clarify his position on women’s right to vote. Hegseth also failed to distance himself in any way from the group’s leader, who said outright “the 19th Amendment was a bad idea.”

Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) released the following statement:

“Since day one, we’ve known that Trump appointed an unfit and unqualified man for Secretary of Defense. Secretary Hegseth has said that women shouldn’t be able to work or serve in combat and is credibly accused of sexual assault. Now, it is clear that Secretary Hegseth wants to use his platform to roll back a century of progress for women. His amplification of a video that calls for the end of women’s right to vote and states that women are merely ‘the kind of people that people come out of’ is disgusting and shameful.

Secretary Hegseth, you oversee courageous women who serve, lead troops, and lay down their lives for this country. It’s absolutely shameful to suggest they don’t deserve their right to vote and are only valuable if they have a child. Secretary Hegseth, we won’t go back, but you should go packing. We demand you denounce this message and affirm your commitment to upholding the 19th Amendment—a critical piece of the Constitution you swore an oath to defend.”

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