WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Defense Department, said he had a “great conversation” with Sen. Susan Collins of Maine on Wednesday as he pushed for enough votes for confirmation win. He said he will not back down after allegations of excessive alcohol consumption and sexual misconduct.
Collins said after the hour-long meeting she questioned Hegseth about the allegations amid reports of binge drinking and the revelation that he paid a settlement after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. She said she had a “good, substantive” conversation with Hegseth and “covered a wide range of topics,” including sexual violence in the military, Ukraine and NATO. But she said she would wait until a hearing, and specifically a background check, to make a decision.
“I asked pretty much every question under the sun,” Collins told reporters as she left her office after the meeting. “I pressed him on both his position on military issues and the allegations against him, so I don’t think there was anything we didn’t discuss.”
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The meeting with Collins was closely watched as she is more likely than most of her Republican Senate colleagues to vote against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks. She and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow moderate Republican, did not shy away from opposing Trump when they wanted to during his first term, sometimes supporting President Joe Biden’s nominees for the judicial and executive branches.
And Hegseth, an infantry combat veteran and former host of Fox & Friends weekend, is doing his best to win as many votes as possible as some senators have raised concerns about his personal history and lack of management experience.
“I certainly don’t assume the senator’s views,” Hegseth said as he left Collins’ office. “This is a process that we respect and value. And we hope that over time, as we get through that committee and get the floor, we can earn her support.”
Hegseth met with Murkowski on Tuesday. He has also met repeatedly with Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a military veteran who has said she survived a sexual assault and spent time in the Senate working to improve how assaults within the ranks are reported and prosecuted . On Monday, Ernst said after a meeting with him that he had committed to selecting a senior official who would prioritize these objectives.
Republicans will have a 53-49 majority next year, meaning Trump cannot lose more than three votes on any of his nominees. It is so far unclear whether Hegseth will receive enough support, but Trump has increased his pressure on senators in the past week.
“Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Trump posted a message on his social media platform last week.
