Washington Pete Hegseth, president-elect Donald Trump’s choice to head the Defense Department, is in jeopardy as Senate Republicans become more alarmed by charges of his drinking and reports of his mistreatment of women.
According to three Republican sources with firsthand knowledge of Hegseth’s nomination process, up to six Senate Republicans, if not more, are currently uncomfortable with his attempt to head the Pentagon as fresh information about his background keeps coming to light. Hegseth, a former Fox News personality, can afford to lose only three GOP votes in the upcoming Congress, assuming all Democrats vote against him, because Republicans have a narrow Senate majority.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a member of the Armed Services Committee, stated she would question Hegseth about news reports of accusations of financial mismanagement, alcohol addiction, and harassment of women, but she would not promise to supporting his candidacy.
Ernst stated, “We’re just going to have a really thorough and honest conversation.”
Following Trump’s announcement that he would nominate Hegseth as his defense secretary, a police report was made public, revealing that the Army National Guard veteran had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in California in 2017. Hegseth, who remained uncharged, refuted the woman’s claims, claiming that the interaction was voluntary despite having paid her an undisclosed sum as part of a settlement.
Ten current and former Fox staffers told NBC News on Tuesday that Hegseth’s drinking worried his coworkers at Fox News. Before Hegseth appeared on television more than a dozen times, two of them claimed he had an alcoholic odor. When questioned about such claims Tuesday night at the Capitol, Hegseth remained silent.
The first accusations made last month didn’t seem to jeopardize Hegseth’s intended nomination. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who chairs the Armed Services Committee, stated he expected Hegseth would be approved following his initial round of talks on Capitol Hill last month. Wicker sounded more circumspect on Tuesday, following a string of other accusations regarding Hegseth’s past, but prior to NBC News’s coverage of the claims regarding drinking at Fox News.
Wicker stated, “I believe some members have questions, and we’re going to be looking for an answer.”
A previously undisclosed 2015 whistleblower’s report from a veterans nonprofit Hegseth managed, which said he was frequently drunk at work, was reported by The New Yorker on Sunday. Hegseth’s attorney did not reply to a request for comment on the piece on Monday, and NBC News has not seen the report, which was distributed to the nonprofit organization’s leadership. An anonymous Hegseth counsel termed the allegations “ludicrous” and claimed they originated from a jealous, vindictive, and dissatisfied former associate in a statement the attorney gave to The New Yorker.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., stated Tuesday that while he is still willing to back Hegseth and thinks he should be fairly vetted, Hegseth needs to provide an explanation for media stories about his previous behavior so that senators will feel comfortable voting to approve him.
We have a procedure that allows us to question him. “Yes, some of the articles I’ve read are concerning,” Graham remarked. He’ll go through the procedure, albeit I’m not sure if that’s accurate. They’ll question him about it. We’ll wait and see.
Hegseth spoke with several senators on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. A request for comment was not immediately answered by the Trump transition team.
Due to resistance from Senate Republicans, another Trump candidate for his Cabinet was removed from consideration last month. Five people with direct knowledge told NBC News at the time that at least five Senate Republicans were ready to vote against Trump’s choice for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., due to claims of sexual misconduct with a minor (which Gaetz has denied and was not charged with).
A number of Republican senators have persisted in downplaying the accusations, claiming that they back Trump’s right to choose his own Cabinet.
On Monday, Sen. Cynthia Lummis, a Republican from Wyoming, described the accusations as a minor matter and stated that Hegseth “has earned a great deal of credibility.”
Do soldiers occasionally act like crazy kids? When asked if the accusations worried her, Lummis responded, “Yeah, that can happen.” However, it is evident that Pete Hegseth is the solution to the issue at a time when Americans are losing faith in their own armed forces and our capacity to project power globally.
Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, was asked Tuesday to address the claims of alcohol abuse and womanizing. He said, “That would not be novel in Washington, D.C.”
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