Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in his opening remarks that he doesn't believe Pete Hegseth is qualified to lead the Pentagon. “We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you,

Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed expressed criticism toward Pete Hegseth during his confirmation hearing as defense secretary on Tuesday morning.

Rhode Island’s senior senator took center stage Tuesday during the confirmation hearing for President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial pick for U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth.

None of the 13 Democrats on the Armed Services Committee appeared to believe Hegseth, an Army veteran and Fox News personality, was qualified to run one of the largest and most complex institutions in the world.

With homelessness on the rise, Rhode Island leaders have announced more than $17 million in federal grants to address the crisis.

The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee told Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth he’s unsuitable to lead a department with 3.5 million service members and civilian employees and an annual budget of nearly $900 billion.

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Gov. Dan McKee is no longer attending President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday due to expected snowfall. “After reviewing the latest the weather forecast for Rhode Island, the governor made the decision not to travel out of state at this time,” a spokesperson for McKee said.

Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed met with president-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Wednesday.

In a Jan. 15 Politics, Timothy Soseki Kudo misstated that the M1 Garand is a bolt-action rifle. It is a semiautomatic weapon. In a Jan. 15 Politics, Fred Kaplan misstated that Jack Reed is a senator from Delaware. Reed is from Rhode Island.

The number of new U.S. Coast Guard cutters destined to call Naval Station Newport home has doubled, Rhode Island’s U.S. Sen. Jack Reed announced Tuesday. Two sets of 360-foot twin U.S. Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutters — not the one set Reed’s office originally announced in 2020 — will be based on Aquidneck Island.

Democrats said Hegseth’s lack of experience, his past comments about women and Black troops and allegations of excessive drinking, and sexual misconduct, make him unfit to serve. Republicans described him as "unconventional" but an “excellent choice.

Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, told Pete Hegseth that he was not qualified to lead the Pentagon.