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Abby Huntsman, Pressed on The View, Says Pete Hegseth Is Not Qualified to Lead the Pentagon

The on-air concession signals mounting scrutiny of the defense secretary after Trump’s Tennessee remarks about Iran.

Overview

  • Host Sunny Hostin’s questioning on The View, which aired live Tuesday, ended with Abby Huntsman saying Pete Hegseth is not qualified to be secretary of defense.
  • Huntsman first avoided a yes or no by criticizing official social media memes about the strikes and citing her military-family concerns about treating war like a game.
  • Table dynamics drove the turn, as Sara Haines plainly said Hegseth is not qualified and Joy Behar offered to “save” Huntsman while the audience cheered the direct answers.
  • The segment followed Trump’s Tennessee appearance where he said Hegseth was the first to back attacking Iran, a line the hosts read as setting up blame if events go poorly.
  • Huntsman noted she once worked with Hegseth on Fox & Friends, which shaped her reluctance, and coverage from TV Insider, TheWrap, and Mediaite highlighted Hostin’s repeated asks and Behar’s intervention as the pivot to a clear on-the-record judgment.