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In a recent appearance on Face the Nation, Sen. Tammy Duckworth expressed strong criticism of Pete Hegseth's qualifications and his opinions on women serving in combat roles. Duckworth, a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel who lost both her legs during her service in Iraq, responded pointedly to Hegseth's controversial remarks.

Hegseth, Donald Trump's defense secretary pick, had suggested that women should not serve in combat roles – a stance that Duckworth firmly rejected. "Our military could not go to war without the 220,000 plus women who serve in uniform," the Illinois senator stated. She emphasized that women enhance the military's effectiveness and lethality.

When host Margaret Brennan broached the topic of Hegseth's claims that women complicate combat, Duckworth did not hold back. She criticized Hegseth's comprehension of the military and his lack of significant leadership experience. "He was a pretty low-ranking guy in the military, and he never had a command position," she remarked, suggesting his inadequate qualifications for the defense role.

Duckworth elaborated that although Hegseth had been a platoon leader on a couple of occasions, he never commanded a company. This, she argued, made him exceptionally unqualified to handle the enormous responsibilities that come with managing the Pentagon's three million personnel and a $900 billion budget.

Sen. Duckworth underscored the invaluable contributions of women in the military, drawing from her own experience. She shared how, as a company commander and logistics officer, her unique insights improved operations and care within her unit. "When I was a company commander, when I was a logistics officer, that came from my own personal background, that made things better. I took better care of my men, for example, in my unit," she explained.

Concluding her remarks, Duckworth recounted her time serving in all-male units, asserting that her gender was never a problem. She adapted and continued to accomplish the mission, reinforcing her belief in the essential role of women in the military.