Former President Donald Trump expressed confidence in his choice to lead the Pentagon, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, amid allegations of binge drinking and abuse of women.
“It appears Pete is doing well now,” Trump said in an exclusive interview with “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker, airing Sunday.” “I mean, people were a little concerned. He’s a young guy, with a great track record. He went to Princeton and went to Harvard. He was a good student in both. But he loves the military and I think people are starting to see it, so we will work with many others on his nomination.”
Read more about this story at NBCNews.com and watch Kristen Welker’s full interview on “Meet the Press” Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. ET or check out local listings.
NBC News reported Tuesday that Hegseth’s nomination was in jeopardy because as many as six Senate Republicans are currently uncomfortable supporting his bid, three Republican sources with direct knowledge of the nomination process said, amid reports that colleagues’ concerns were highlighted about his alcohol use and abuse allegations. sexual misconduct.
NBC News reported Tuesday that Hegseth’s drinking was worrying his Fox News colleagues, 10 current and former employees of the network said. Two of those sources said Hegseth smelled of alcohol more than a dozen times before coming on air. A Trump transition spokesman called the claims “completely baseless and false.”
In addition, Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran, was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in California in 2017, according to a police report made public after Trump nominated him. He was not charged and Hegseth said the meeting was consensual. He paid the woman an undisclosed amount as part of a settlement.
This week, Hegseth met on Capitol Hill in an attempt to reassure senators — and the president-elect.
“Yes, I really do,” Trump said when Welker asked whether he remained confident in the choice. “He’s a very smart guy. I know him through Fox, but I’ve known him for a long time. And he’s actually a military man. Every time I talk to him, all he wants to talk about is the military. He’s a military man .”
Asked whether senators assured Trump that Hegseth could be confirmed, Trump said: “A lot of senators are calling me and saying he’s fantastic.”
Welker noted that Trump himself does not drink and has warned about the dangers of excessive drinking. She asked if he was concerned that his choice to oversee the U.S. military, according to those who have worked with him, has resulted in difficulty drinking.
“But I’ve talked to people who know him very well and they say he doesn’t have a drinking problem,” Trump responded.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
