- - This hearing is adjourned.

Amna: And joining me now to discuss today's confirmation hearing is Republican senator Jim banks of Indiana, who serves on the senate armed services committee and was in the room today.

Mr. Hegseth faced tough questions today on allegations of past drinking, infidelity, management experience.

How do you think he handled the questions today?

N. Banks: The hearing went exceptionally well for Pete hegseth.

The Democrats were looking for a gotcha moment but they could not do it because they kept manufacturing and repeating anonymous sources and allegations.

At the end of the day when we walked out of the room I thought that Pete, who had momentum going into the hearing, had even more momentum coming out.

It went very well for him.

He focused on the issues, why it matters we sent the secretary of defense, who is serious about preparing to fight and win wars to be the next secretary.

Why Donald Trump picked him to do that.

I think he picked up even more support in the room after the hearing.

I am looking forward to us moving quickly to confirm him on January 20 and sent him to the Pentagon to do his job.

Amna: Several senators have said plainly they don't believe Mr. Hegseth has the experience to do the job.

His management experience is limited to a couple small nonprofits.

Why do you believe the lack of experience is not an issue here?

Sen. Banks: Keep in mind, those were partisan attacks.

The Democrats on the committee, the minority, they were the ones reporting these anonymous allegations.

Mr. Hegseth.

Amna: There is nothing anonymous about the facts he has run two small nonprofits.

I'm just asking about his management experience.

Sen. Banks: What he diat pro veteran organizations is very important advocating for post-9/11 veterans.

He did that very effectively on capitol hill.

He was a big part of president trump's pro veteran initiative's first term.

On top of that, he led hundreds of troops into battle, both in the army reserve in Iraq where he served in the National Guard.

He served in Afghanistan, like I did.

He led troops into battle.

To me, that is an incredible experience that prepares him to be a very good secretary of defense beauty has two bronze stars.

He is decorated as a combat veteran.

He is well equipped to do this job and he will do it a lot better than the current guy in the world today.

Amna: You are a combat veteran as well.

Mr. Hegseth has said in the past clearly he does not support women in combat.

He changed his stance since he was nominated.

I want to ask why you think he changed his mind.

You believe him?

Sen. Banks: I want to say rather he clarified his remarks.

He talked about the importance of having strong standards.

Amna: All due respect he said very clearly there is no place for women in konta -- combat and changed it to say there is a place.

Sen. Banks: He clarified the comments and talked about the importance of standards.

As well as in recruitment.

We have the biggest recruitment crisis in 50 years of an all volunteer force.

We should not lower the standards for those that go into combat.

That is what Pete hegseth articulated today about women in combat.

He talked about the important role women play in the military.

I served in Afghanistan with a lot of remarkable women that did extraordinary things downrange in Afghanistan.

Pete did as well.

He articulated that very well today.

Amna: The rape allegation from 2017 came up the one Mr. Hegseth paid to settle.

There is new reporting in the new Yorker citing three sources that said senators including Joni Ernst and Susan Collins turned down offers to hear privately from hegseth's accuser.

Would you want the chance to meet with the accuser privately to be able to see through your due diligence in this advice and consent role?

Sen. Banks: It is unfortunate that we deal with anonymous allegations and sources.

If these people want to come forward and publicly make those claims they would be much more credible and taken more seriously.

That has not happened.

Democrats on the committee repeated anonymous allegations today.

Amna: I want to clarify.

I am asking if you would meet privately with the woman behind accusation in 2017.

Sen. Banks: Sure, but nobody has reached out to me to do that.

At this point we need to get Pete hegseth on the job in the role of secretary of defense to clean up the mess over the last four years and that is why I fully support his confirmation.

Amna: Republican senator Jim banks of Indiana.

Thank you for your time.

We appreciate it.