Former White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz laid out an aggressive approach to countering anti-Israel sentiment at the United Nations during his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday to be U.S. ambassador to the global body, accusing the organization in his opening statement of “pervasive antisemitism.”

Waltz, a staunch supporter of Israel and an outspoken critic of Iran who was nominated for the U.N. post in May after being removed from his position as national security advisor, said he would seek to block “anti-Israel resolutions” in the General Assembly and would push for the dismantlement of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency over some of its employees’ involvement in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.

He also voiced support for U.S. sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur for Israel and the Palestinian territories, who has faced widespread accusations of espousing antisemitism in her commentary on Israel.

More broadly, Waltz — echoing the “America First” ethos of President Donald Trump — said he would “focus on peacekeeping, not nation-building,” and expressed support for the administration’s plans to slash funding to the U.N., calling for “major reform” to make the organization “great again.”

“The U.S. must ensure that every foreign aid dollar and every contribution to an international organization, particularly the U.N., draws a straight and direct line to a compelling U.S. national interest — one that puts America first, not last,” Waltz said.

Waltz was largely spared of the grilling he had been expected to face from Democrats at the hearing over his widely criticized handling of the use of a nonsecure messaging app to discuss sensitive U.S. attack plans in Yemen last March.

The so-called Signalgate controversy, in which Waltz inadvertently added a journalist to a group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal while discussing a military operation against the Houthis with top Trump administration officials, was first raised around halfway into the two and a half hour hearing — after several Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had bypassed the topic in favor of other issues, such as countering China’s global influence.

Still, Waltz strained to defend his misuse of the app, claiming no classified information had been shared and suggesting he had been following Biden-era guidance that recommended the app for end-to-end encrypted chats.

“The use of Signal was not only authorized, it’s still authorized, and highly recommended,” Waltz said at the hearing.

He also said the White House had investigated the matter and no disciplinary action had been taken — while adding that the Defense Department was still conducting a review of the incident. 

“I was hoping to hear from you that you had some sense of regret over sharing what was very sensitive, timely information about a military strike on a commercially available app that’s not, as we both know, the appropriate way to share such critical information,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), who first brought up the Signal controversy, said during the hearing.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), who issued the most forceful remarks against Waltz, said he had no questions for the nominee, accusing him of lying about his involvement in the Signal debacle and failing to take accountability for his actions while smearing the journalist he had added to the chat.

“Smearing people, attacking folks, singling them out just compounds what I think is disqualifying about you for this position,” he said of the former Florida congressman and Green Beret. “It also, to me, just shows profound cowardice.”

Booker said he would not support Waltz’s nomination.

Despite such opposition, Waltz, who is expected to be confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate, was otherwise presented with a range of friendlier questions from Republicans on the panel, many of whom expressed concerns about the U.N.’s long-standing hostility toward Israel.

Trump had weighed firing Waltz in the wake of the Signal debacle, but ultimately chose to remove him from his national security post and nominate him to serve at the U.N., where he will be based in New York City rather than the West Wing — far removed from the internecine battles that plagued his brief time in the White House.

Near the end of the hearing, Waltz dismissed a new report that he has continued to receive a White House salary in recent months despite being removed from his role — calling the story “fake news.”

“I was not fired,” Waltz said in response to Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV). “The president never said that, nor did the vice president.”

Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command who is nominated to be the next CENTCOM head, said at his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday that the United States is prepared for the possibility that Iran will attempt to place mines in the Strait of Hormuz to close off the strategic waterway.

The Iranian parliament approved a move earlier this week to close the strait, but that decision would be dependent on the approval of the Iranian leadership, and it’s not clear whether the ceasefire between Israel and Iran might hold off such a move. Around a third of the world’s oil supply passes through the strait, which connects the Persian Gulf and several Gulf states to the Arabian Sea.

The incoming CENTCOM leader, who previously led naval forces in CENTCOM and the Fifth Fleet based out of Bahrain, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the U.S. “has sufficient capacity and capability to handle the threat” of mining the Strait of Hormuz, and that it is keeping a close eye on Iranian movements that would signal such an operation is occurring.

“It would certainly be important for us to watch what they’re doing and attempt to both anticipate and then react faster than the threat,” Cooper said. “It’s a significant threat. It’s a known threat, and one that we’re watching.”

Cooper acknowledged that the potential shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz would have “significant” impacts on U.S. operations in the Middle East. He said it would be a “complex problem,” given that Iran has stockpiles of thousands of mines, and noted that “historically in mine warfare, nothing happens quickly,” saying the operation would be a matter of “weeks and months, not days.”

Cooper said that U.S. and Israeli strikes, and particularly Israel’s successes against Iran and its proxies, have weakened and degraded Iran significantly, but added that Iran remains the primary destabilizing agent in the region and a sponsor of global terrorism.

“They possess considerable tactical capability, one element of which we saw yesterday,” Cooper said, referring to Iranian missile barrages at U.S. bases in Qatar and Iraq. “We’ve got to be in a three point stance, ready to go every single day. “

Pressed repeatedly by Democrats on whether the U.S. is planning for a ground invasion or for regime change in Iran, Cooper declined to discuss specifics in public, stating that his role is and would be to provide options to the administration’s civilian leadership and to prepare for various potential scenarios.

Cooper added that “deterring Iran and its proxies … is a critical element of our national security,” noting as well that some of the Iranian-aligned militia groups in the region, as well as the Houthis, remain an active threat. He highlighted that Iranian proxies have attacked Americans around 500 times in the past 20 months.

Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former director of operations for CENTCOM, who was testifying alongside Cooper, said that “the Houthis are likely to be a persistent problem that we’ll be dealing with in the future a few times again.”

Cooper said it might take several months for normal commercial trade to resume through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait after the U.S.-Houthi ceasefire agreement was reached last month.

Cooper said that the U.S. is prepared for a range of scenarios should the Houthis break the ceasefire. He also warned that the Yemeni terrorist group is “extremely well supplied by the Iranians” and is increasingly entrenching underground.

He added that, learning from Hamas, Iran and other groups in the region, U.S. adversaries entrenching underground is likely to be a growing problem in the future. He highlighted the work of Israel and U.S.-Israeli collaborative efforts to counter this threat.

Cooper emphasized concerns about the growing cooperation between U.S. adversaries such a Iran, China, Russia and North Korea. He expressed particular frustration about the flow, through Iran, of weapons components from China to the Houthis, and China’s longstanding failure to take action against the Houthis.

The vice admiral emphasized that the U.S.’ efforts in Syria going forward will be led by diplomacy and appear to be headed in a positive direction, but added that the U.S. must remain vigilant and active to focus on the ongoing threat from ISIS.

“Stability in Syria can translate into security in the United States,” Cooper said. “And here’s how those dots connect. ISIS thrives in chaos. If the government of Syria, now seven months into their existence, can help suppress that ISIS threat, along with the U.S. forces in the region, that stability helps create our own security. I’m optimistic for the future.”

He argued that now is not the time for the U.S. to be pulling back from the Middle East, and that any drawdown of troops from Syria — which the Trump administration has pursued — should be based on conditions on the ground, emphasizing that the U.S. remains the leader of the international coalition to combat ISIS.

Cooper said that the Abraham Accords and Israel’s incorporation into Central Command “presents extraordinary opportunities to advance security and enhance deterrence” in the region, and that he would continue to work on those relationships — a priority for the outgoing CENTCOM leader, Gen. Erik Kurilla.

Pete Hegseth, the veteran and Fox News personality turned President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be secretary of defense, testified at his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday that his Christian faith dictates his commitment to supporting Israel and that he wants to see the U.S. ally kill “every last member of Hamas.”

The hearing provided few more specific details, however, on how the likely next secretary of defense plans to approach the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, which have seen U.S. troops under fire from and engaged in active strikes on Iranian proxies, or the prospect of more direct conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

After Hegseth was interrupted by several protesters affiliated with the radical group Code Pink, who called him a misogynist and a Christian Zionist while he delivered his opening statement before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) asked Hegseth to share where he stands on the Jewish state.

“I’m not really sure why that is a bad thing,” Cotton said. “I’m a Christian, I’m a Zionist. Zionism is that the Jewish people deserve a homeland in the ancient holy land where they lived since the dawn of history. Do you consider yourself a Christian Zionist?”

“I am a Christian and I robustly support the State of Israel and its existential defense and the way America comes alongside them as their great ally,” Hegseth replied.

Cotton went on to ask if Hegseth supports Israel in its war to eliminate Hamas. Hegseth replied: “I do. I support Israel in destroying and killing every last member of Hamas.”

"I support Israel in destroying and killing every last member of Hamas.”

Watch more of @SenTomCotton's exchange with @PeteHegseth below and read our full story from @marcrod97 and @emilyfjacobs on his confirmation hearing to be secretary of defense here: https://t.co/b9cuVW4v4R pic.twitter.com/k8EHicax6j

— Jewish Insider (@J_Insider) January 15, 2025

Hegseth also said earlier in the hearing that, in order to properly counter China, the U.S. military will need to focus on “reorienting away from entanglement in the Middle East and reorienting the behemoth that is the Pentagon toward new priorities, specifically the Indo-Pacific.”

He said the Biden administration has failed to sufficiently execute on that goal, which successive administrations said was their priority. “We’re going to start by ensuring the institution understands that, as far as threats abroad, the CCP is front and center, and obviously defending our homeland as well,” Hegseth continued.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), as the hearing was ongoing, expressed confidence to reporters that Hegseth would be confirmed.

“He’s doing a great job,” Scott said. “He’s going to be confirmed as the next secretary of defense and he’s going to do a great job.”

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), once the most prominent Hegseth skeptic on the GOP side, said after the hearing that she was satisfied with his responses and plans to support him. Ernst’s announcement will likely help lock in the support of other Senate Republicans as well.

Hegseth had to navigate choppy political waters under questioning from Democrats on the panel, being pressed on allegations of alcohol abuse, sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement and general inexperience and lack of qualifications for the job. Democrats also challenged him on past comments opposing women in military service; his opposition to diversity programs; his support for pardons for convicted war criminals such as Clint Lorrance, a former Army lieutenant convicted of killing two Afghan civilians; and his claims that the Biden administration had politicized the military.

Several Republicans dedicated their questioning to pushing back on these accusations, leaving the hearing overall light on the specifics of Hegseth’s plans for the Department of Defense or strategic approach to the various conflicts the U.S. faces around the globe.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who focused her questioning on Hegseth’s past comments opposing women taking combat roles in the military, told reporters afterward that she was frustrated she had not been able to ask Hegseth about issues like Iran, Russia and China and other global threats, noting that he had not met privately with rank-and-file Senate Democrats.

Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) suggested in his opening statement that one of Hegseth’s strengths is his skill as a “top-shelf communicator,” and that Hegseth would be focused on “strategic-level priorities” while he should have “exceptional subordinates who will run the day-to-day affairs” of directing the U.S. military.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), who focused his questioning on Hegseth’s qualifications and allegations of financial mismanagement at veterans’ charities he ran, told reporters, “I think he would be a good communicator, I support his service as spokesperson for the Pentagon, but not as the manager for 3.4 million Americans putting their lives on the line, who deserve someone who will make life-and-death decisions with the kind of experience and expertise that is necessary to protect our nation.”

Blumenthal also alleged that the FBI background check into Hegseth was insufficiently rigorous.

Hegseth also expressed strong opposition during the hearing to counter-extremism programs implemented during the Biden administration, driven by concerns about potential white supremacist and neo-Nazi radicalization and recruitment in military ranks.

The nominee described concerns about right-wing extremism in the armed forces as “a made-up boogeyman,” and accused “leftist leadership” of extremism.

The Anti-Defamation League had supported those programs — which Republicans have said over-played the nature of the threat and sowed division among service members.

Responding to the criticism of Hegseth for being unfaithful to his wife and abusing alcohol, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) accused his Democratic colleagues of hypocrisy, pointing out that senators on both sides of the aisle had been drunk at evening votes at the Capitol and had cheated on their wives. 

“I think it’s so hypocritical of senators, especially on the other side, to be talking about his qualifications, and yet your qualifications aren’t any better,” Mullin said. “You guys make sure you make a big show and point out the hypocrisy because a man’s made a mistake, and you want to sit there and say that he’s not qualified. Give me a joke. It is so ridiculous that you guys hold yourself as this higher standard. You forget you got a big plank in your eye.”

Former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN), who chairs the Republican Jewish Coalition, was one of two witnesses who introduced Hegseth at the hearing, alongside incoming National Security Advisor Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL).