Despite accusations of excessive drinking and mistreatment of women, former President Donald Trump voiced confidence in his choice to lead the Pentagon, former Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth.
In an exclusive interview with “Meet the Press” anchor Kristen Welker that will run on Sunday, Trump stated, “It looks like Pete is doing well now.”” “I mean, there was some worry among individuals. A young man, he actually has an impressive record. He attended Harvard and Princeton. He excelled in both areas as a student. However, we’ll be working on his nomination along with many others because he loves the military and I believe people are beginning to see that.”
Check out local listings or read more about this topic at NBCNews.com. You can also watch Kristen Welker’s whole interview on Meet the Press on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET.
In the midst of reports highlighting concerns from colleagues over Hegseth’s drinking and allegations of sexual misconduct, NBC News reported on Tuesday that Hegseth’s nomination was in jeopardy, with up to six Senate Republicans currently uneasy about supporting his bid, according to three GOP sources with direct knowledge of the nomination process.
Ten current and former Fox News staffers told NBC News on Tuesday that Hegseth’s drinking was concerning to his coworkers. According to two of those individuals, Hegseth had an alcoholic odor prior to appearing on television over a dozen times. A spokesman for the Trump transition described the allegations as “completely unfounded and false.”
Separately, a police report released following Trump’s nomination described how Hegseth, a veteran of the Army National Guard, was charged with sexually abusing a woman in California in 2017. Although Hegseth claimed that the interaction was consensual, he did make a settlement payment to the woman that was not revealed.
Hegseth met with senators and the president-elect on Capitol Hill this week to reassure them.
Trump responded, “Yes I do, I really do,” when Welker questioned whether he still had faith in the selection. “He’s a really intelligent man. Fox introduced me to him, but I’ve known him for a while. He is also essentially a member of the military. He just wants to discuss the military whenever I speak with him. He’s a member of the military.
When asked if senators had given him assurances that Hegseth could be confirmed, Trump responded, “A lot of senators call me up saying he’s fantastic.”
Welker pointed out that Trump himself abstains from alcohol and has cautioned about the risks associated with binge drinking. According to others who have worked with him, she questioned whether he is worried that his choice to lead the U.S. military has had drinking issues.
“But I ve spoken to people that know him very well and they say he does not have a drinking problem,” said Trump.
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