Pete Hegseth, Trump’s controversial pick to lead the Pentagon, is back on Capitol Hill today as his nomination faces even more hurdles.
Concerns about Hegseth’s personal controversies are leading Trump allies to think the defense secretary nominee may not survive further scrutiny. And his fight has been further complicated by news that the president-elect is considering a rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, to replace Hegseth, The Wall Street Journal first reported. DeSantis, a former opponent in the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential election, offers a conservative military record and alignment with Trump’s views on “woke” military policy.
Hegseth — who has faced allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse — is expected to meet today with Republicans, including the new Senate Armed Services Chairman, Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and the next majority leader, Sen. John Thune (RS.D.). .
Hegseth’s most crucial meeting, however, is expected to be with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee who has been noncommittal about Hegseth’s nomination and is seen as a potential tie-breaking vote.
Ernst was previously floated as a potential pick for defense secretary before Trump chose Hegseth, though she was seen as a dark horse candidate. The Iowa Republican is a traditional defense hawk, who somewhat clashes with the views of the Trump team. There may also be a political divide to bridge for Ernst — who took until March to endorse Trump’s 2024 bid for the White House, after the former president nearly won the Republican primary and was on track to win the Republican primary. to receive a nomination.
Ernst, the first female combat veteran in the Senate, has a long track record of legislation aimed at addressing sexual assault and harassment in the military. That appears to put her at odds with Hegseth, who is not only the subject of sexual assault allegations but also opposes women serving in combat roles.
Ernst has also been candid about her own experiences with sexual assault and domestic violence. Asked about the sexual abuse allegations against Hegseth, she said: “Any time there are allegations, you want to make sure they’re properly vetted, so we’ll have that discussion.”
Although Ernst is seen as a wild card, she may need to align herself more with Trump ahead of her re-election bid. She embraced a Trump effort to find ways to reduce government spending, co-led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, and created a Senate DOGE Caucus to work with their so-called Department of Government Efficiency to find cuts.
When asked about Ernst on Tuesday, several of her Democratic colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee said she would be easily confirmed, but it was not clear she would be an attractive selection for Trump.
Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed (D-R.I.) called Ernst “extremely qualified.”
“She’s a combat veteran herself, her daughter graduated from West Point, so she had a vested interest in the military, and she’s someone who has made a very substantial contribution to the committee,” Reed said. “She has a significant understanding of the dynamics of policy, what needs to be done and what the challenges are.”
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), a Trump ally on the panel, dismissed suggestions that Ernst or anyone else besides Hegseth was in conflict.
“President Trump just won a historic election, he won all the battleground states and the popular vote,” Schmitt said. “He has the right to choose who he wants to lead the Department of Defense, and I think Pete Hegseth is in a pretty strong position right now.”
Hegseth will also appeal to Sen. Kevin Cramer, a member of the armed forces who says Hegseth has some explaining to do.
“There’s no way we can have a secretary of defense who gets drunk on a regular basis…I’ve found he’s solved that problem,” Cramer told The Washington Post. “I have seen public statements to that effect and if he reassures me that that is the case, then I am satisfied with it.”
Hegseth is also expected to visit members of the House Republican Study Committee, the Republican Party’s largest conservative caucus in the House of Representatives.
A transition spokesperson denied that Hegseth’s appointment was on thin ice.
“Pete’s meetings on the Hill went well,” the spokesperson said. “He received great feedback and had excellent conversations at his meetings, where members heard Pete’s priorities and asked important questions, and everyone began building partnerships to ensure the strongest Department of Defense our country has ever seen .”
“He will continue to visit with Senators as part of the advice and consent process and work to earn their votes. Any anonymous source reporting is not based on facts,” the spokesperson added.
Hegseth appeared in a post Wednesday ahead of his Capitol Hill rallies.
“I do this for the war fighters, not the warmongers,” Hegseth wrote on X. “The Left fears disruptors and change agents. They’re afraid of @realDonaldTrump – and me. So they smear with fake, anonymous sources and BS stories. They don’t want the truth. Our warriors never give up, and neither do I.”
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s controversial pick to lead the Pentagon, is back on Capitol Hill today as his nomination faces even more hurdles.
Concerns about Hegseth’s personal controversies are leading Trump allies to think the defense secretary nominee may not survive further scrutiny. And his fight has been further complicated by news that the president-elect is considering a rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, to replace Hegseth, The Wall Street Journal first reported. DeSantis, a former opponent in the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential election, offers a conservative military record and alignment with Trump’s views on “woke” military policy.
Hegseth — who has faced allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse — is expected to meet today with Republicans, including the new Senate Armed Services Chairman, Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and the next majority leader, Sen. John Thune (RS.D.). .
Hegseth’s first meeting, however, is expected to be with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee who has been noncommittal about Hegseth’s nomination and is seen as a potential tie-breaking vote.
Ernst was previously floated as a potential pick for defense secretary before Trump chose Hegseth, though she was seen as a dark horse candidate. The Iowa Republican is a traditional defense hawk, who somewhat clashes with the views of the Trump team. There may also be a political divide to bridge for Ernst — who took until March to endorse Trump’s 2024 bid for the White House, after the former president nearly won the Republican primary and was on track to win the Republican primary. to receive a nomination.
Ernst, the first female combat veteran in the Senate, has a long track record of legislation aimed at addressing sexual assault and harassment in the military. That appears to put her at odds with Hegseth, who is not only the subject of sexual assault allegations but also opposes women serving in combat roles.
Ernst has also been candid about her own experiences with sexual assault and domestic violence. Asked about the sexual abuse allegations against Hegseth, she said: “Any time there are allegations, you want to make sure they’re properly vetted, so we’ll have that discussion.”
Although Ernst is seen as a wildcard, she may need to align herself more with Trump ahead of her re-election bid. She embraced a Trump effort to find ways to reduce government spending, co-led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, and created a Senate DOGE Caucus to work with their so-called Department of Government Efficiency to find cuts.
When asked about Ernst on Tuesday, several of her Democratic colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee said she would be easily confirmed, but it was not clear she would be an attractive selection for Trump.
Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed (D-R.I.) called Ernst “extremely qualified.”
“She’s a combat veteran herself, her daughter graduated from West Point, so she had a vested interest in the military, and she’s someone who has made a very substantial contribution to the committee,” Reed said. “She has a significant understanding of the dynamics of policy, what needs to be done and what the challenges are.”
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), a Trump ally on the panel, dismissed suggestions that Ernst or anyone else besides Hegseth was in conflict.
“President Trump just won a historic election, he won all the battleground states and the popular vote,” Schmitt said. “He has the right to choose who he wants to lead the Department of Defense, and I think Pete Hegseth is in a pretty strong position right now.”
Hegseth will also appeal to Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), a member of the armed forces who says Hegseth has some explaining to do.
“There’s no way we can have a secretary of defense who gets drunk on a regular basis…I’ve found he’s solved that problem,” Cramer told The Washington Post. “I have seen public statements to that effect and if he reassures me that that is the case, then I am satisfied with it.”
Hegseth is also expected to visit members of the House Republican Study Committee, the Republican Party’s largest conservative caucus in the House of Representatives.
A transition spokesperson denied that Hegseth’s appointment was on thin ice.
“Pete’s meetings on the Hill went well,” the spokesperson said. “He received great feedback and had excellent conversations at his meetings, where members heard Pete’s priorities and asked important questions, and everyone began building partnerships to ensure the strongest Department of Defense our country has ever seen .”
“He will continue to visit with Senators as part of the advice and consent process and work to earn their votes. Any anonymous source reporting is not based on facts,” the spokesperson added.
Hegseth appeared in a post Wednesday ahead of his Capitol Hill rallies.
“I do this for the war fighters, not the warmongers,” Hegseth wrote on X. “The Left fears disruptors and agents of change. They’re afraid of @realDonaldTrump – and me. So they smear with fake, anonymous sources and BS stories. They don’t want the truth. Our warriors never give up, and neither do I.”
