Trump maintains support for Hegseth
FOX News Senior White House Correspondent Jackie Heinrich shares the latest on President-elect Trump’s public support for the nomination of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense on “Truth Society” and “Special Report.” I will explain it here.
President-elect Trump on Friday expressed public support for embattled defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, saying the nominee had “substantive conversations” with Sen. Joni Ernst.
Hegseth, a former National Guard officer, has been meeting with Republican senators this week to drum up support amid allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking. He denies any wrongdoing.
Ernst has not committed to voting for Hegseth.
“Pete seems to be fine right now,” President Trump told Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press” on Friday. “I mean, people were a little worried. Actually, he’s a young guy with a great track record. He went to Princeton and he went to Harvard. He was a good student at both, but he loves the military. And I think people are starting to see that, so we’re going to work on his nomination along with a lot of other people. ”
Pete Hegseth says after meeting with senators: “I’m going to stand here and fight this fight.”
President-elect Trump on Friday endorsed his nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, and said the nominee had “substantive conversations” with Sen. Joni Ernst. (Alison Robert Poole/Getty Images, AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
President Trump acknowledged that he still has confidence in Hegseth.
“He’s a very smart man,” Trump said. “I got to know him through Fox, but I’ve known him for a long time. I mean, he’s basically a military man. I mean, every time I talk to him, he wants to talk. It’s just about the military.”
President Trump has not received any guarantee that his nomination will be approved by senators, but said he believes it will be approved.
“A lot of senators called me and said he was great,” Trump said.
Asked by Welker about allegations of excessive drinking, Trump replied: “Well, I’ve talked to people who know him well and they say he doesn’t have a drinking problem.”
Incoming White House press secretary mentions President Trump’s support for Hegseth
President Trump also endorsed Hegseth on Friday’s Truth Social, saying, “Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep. He is a great student who was educated at Princeton and Harvard. “And he had a military mindset. He would be a great addition.” A high-energy Secretary of Defense who commands with charisma and skill, Pete is a winner, and there’s nothing he can do to change that. ”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) speaks to reporters after a private lunch with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on October 17, 2023. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
“I just had another substantive conversation with Senator Ernst. I appreciate her honest commitment to defense policy and look forward to meeting her again next week,” Hegseth wrote on his X account on Friday. I wrote it.
Ms. Ernst also said on her account that their meeting was “constructive,” adding that the two planned to meet again next week.
“Pete Hegseth and I will continue to have constructive conversations as we move through this process together. We plan to meet again next week. At the very least, he will have a fair hearing to explain his vision for our nation’s warfighters. We agree that they deserve an opportunity,’” she said.
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance also told reporters Friday that Hegseth has the full support of the incoming administration and has no intention of holding “a sham hearing in front of the American media.” Ta.
President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth walks through the basement of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Trump floats DeSantis as possible replacement for defense secretary if Hegseth is ousted
“Pete Hegseth will have a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, not a sham hearing in front of the American media,” Vance told reporters while in North Carolina. “We believe Pete Hegseth is the right person to lead the Department of Defense, which is why President Trump nominated him. We have no intention of abandoning this nomination.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I fully support Pete. I think Pete will be confirmed, but we fully support him. I spoke with Joni (Ernst). I’ve talked to a lot of my colleagues about nominations. What I’m asking is whether we’re actually allowing the Senate nomination process to work. We are not making decisions about important government officials based on sources.”
