Sen. Tom Cotton Demands Investigation After West Point’s False Statement About Defense Nominee
Senator Tom Cotton has criticized West Point for providing false information to ProPublica about Pete Hegseth, the nominee for Secretary of Defense. Initially, the academy claimed Hegseth never applied to West Point, but records show he was accepted in 1999 as part of the Class of 2003, though he ultimately chose not to attend.
In a letter to Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland, Cotton described the situation as “concerning,” accusing the academy of either gross negligence or outright dishonesty. Cotton noted the statement may have violated Hegseth’s rights under the Privacy Act of 1974 by sharing personal information with the media. He demanded a full investigation into how the error occurred and why it was shared with what he called a “left-wing outlet” in a political “hit piece.”
The Army has since issued an apology, acknowledging the mistake as an “administrative error” that occurred after an employee reviewed incomplete records. A spokesperson confirmed, “Mr. Hegseth was offered admission to West Point in 1999 but did not attend. We take this situation very seriously and deeply regret the error.”
Hegseth has since addressed the controversy and his nomination process in a public statement. Watch his remarks on the matter here.
