Republican senators who met with President Donald Trump’s pick for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday pushed aside sexual assault and other allegations against him.
Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., called the charges a “sideshow” and praised Hegseth’s ability to lead the Defense Department.
“Once again, they’re making disparaging comments to someone who has gained a lot of credibility. Are soldiers sometimes wild children? Yes, that can happen,” Lummis said when asked if the allegations concern her, “but it is very clear that this man is the man who, at a time when Americans are losing confidence in their own military, in our ability to project power around the world, that Pete Hegseth is the answer to that concern.”
About 10 to 12 senators from the Republican Steering Committee, a group of conservative senators led by Utah’s Mike Lee, met with Hegseth behind closed doors for less than an hour Monday at the Capitol.
Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host, has faced several allegations of misconduct since being named as Trump’s pick to lead the Defense Department (he has denied any wrongdoing) . Most recently, a New Yorker article published Sunday revealed the contents of a previously undisclosed 2015 whistleblower report from a veterans organization Hegseth led, which alleged that he was repeatedly drunk on the job.
NBC News has not independently verified the report. Hegseth’s attorney declined to comment. In a statement to The New Yorker, an adviser said the claims were “outlandish” and that they came from a “petty and jealous, disgruntled former employee.”
Trump’s transition team referred NBC News to an earlier statement in support of Hegseth. Hegseth did not respond to shouted questions from NBC News about the New Yorker article and other allegations.
Senators offered their full support to Hegseth after the meeting, downplaying the allegations.
“I’ve known Pete for a while, so my experience with him has always been positive. I think he clearly wants to ensure that we have a deadly military that can frighten our enemies, is respected by our allies and is someone our allies can rely on,” said Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla.
Lee did not say whether the senators had discussed any of the allegations with Hegseth, but said they discussed his vision for the Pentagon.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the media was “obsessed” with personal accusations against Hegseth and told reporters that any Cabinet nominee would be subject to a background check, but possibly not by the FBI — a new point of contention among lawmakers. as some Republicans say the FBI should not be responsible for conducting background checks, contrary to common practice.
A woman told police that Hegseth sexually assaulted her in 2017 after a Republican women’s convention in California, according to official documents from a police investigation released last month. Hegseth has denied the allegations and has not been charged. He acknowledged paying his accuser an undisclosed amount as part of a settlement.
Last week, The New York Times reported that Hegseth’s mother sent him an email calling him a “wife abuser” amid his contentious divorce in 2018. She later told the Times she regretted the email, which NBC News did not receive.
Hegseth’s attorney declined to make a statement but passed along a statement from the Trump transition team that said: “It is embarrassing but not surprising that the NYT is publishing a story about a decontextualized excerpt from an illegally obtained private conversation between a mother and her son. The whole purpose of this exercise is to defame Mr Hegseth.”
Speaking to reporters Monday after the meeting with Hegseth, Cruz called the New York Times story “shameful.”
Senators also cited Hegseth’s ability to increase retention and recruitment levels in the military among young men and women, despite previously suggesting that women should not serve. When asked about these comments, Lummis said they do not concern her.
“I think if he gets some female fighter pilots who are, you know, the best of the best, he might think twice about it,” she said.
In a podcast interview last month, Hegseth said women should not be allowed to fight on the front lines, claiming their presence has made the fight “more complicated.”
“I’m just going to say honestly that we shouldn’t have women in combat roles,” Hegseth said on “The Shawn Ryan Show” podcast last month. His comments sparked swift reactions from female veterans and service members.
Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Republican senators’ comments.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
