Trump’s defence pick hits out after reports he could be dropped
Donald Trump’s embattled defense secretary nominee says he still has the president-elect’s support following reports that his nomination could be in jeopardy amid allegations of misconduct.
Trump is considering replacing Pete Hegers with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after Hegers’ nomination came under intense scrutiny, BBC partner CBS News reported.
Since Trump nominated the former Fox News host, questions have been raised about Hegseth’s qualifications and historical sexual assault allegations have surfaced.
Hegseth denied any wrongdoing and was never arrested or charged.
Hegseth did not respond directly to DeSantis’ report and told reporters on Wednesday that he had spoken to Trump earlier.
“He said ‘Keep going, keep fighting. I’m always behind you,'” Hegseth said.
Posting on X on Wednesday morning, Hegseth accused the “left” of trying to smear him with “fake” stories.
His nomination has come under increasing scrutiny from members of his own party, including U.S. senators, who have the power to confirm or deny him when asked to vote on his appointment.
“I think some of these articles are very disturbing,” Sen. Lindsey Graham told CBS on Tuesday. “He obviously has a chance to defend himself here, but some things are going to be difficult.”
DeSantis, who was elected Florida governor in 2018, did not respond to a request for comment. A Trump spokesman declined to say whether DeSantis was being considered for the position.
DeSantis ran against Trump in the Republican primary, and before dropping out, he was considered by some to be “Trump 2.0” — a Republican who could pursue Trump’s populist agenda without baggage.
The latest speculation, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, comes as Hegseth meets with members of Congress this week to discuss the effort and drum up support.
A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard University, Hegseth served as an infantry platoon leader at Guantanamo Bay and in Iraq, where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.
In nominating former Fox News host Hegseth, Trump highlighted the former soldier’s educational background and his military experience in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies will take notice – our military will be great again and America will never back down,” Trump wrote.
But even as a veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the 44-year-old does not have the breadth of experience required for a cabinet post. He will also be the second youngest person to hold the office.
Additionally, since his nomination, a police report detailing a 2017 sexual assault allegation has surfaced.
The woman was quoted in the complaint as saying that Hegseth, then a Fox host, took her phone and blocked the hotel room door at a Republican conference in California.
Hegseth denied any wrongdoing and said the encounter was consensual.
His mother, Penelope Hegseth, defended her son on Fox & Friends Wednesday morning. The New York Times published details In an email she wrote to him in 2018, she accused him of regularly abusing women.
“I wrote this letter in a hurry. I wrote it with deep emotion,” she said of the email, adding that her son and his first wife were in “Going through a very difficult divorce.”
“He’s redeemed, he’s forgiven, he’s changed. I think that’s what we all are seven years later,” she said.
In addition to the accusations, some of Hegseth’s past comments about how he might change the Department of Defense have also raised concerns.
Hegseth said in a recent podcast that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — the nation’s top military leader — should be fired and that any military leader “involved in any DEI[diversity, equity and inclusion]should be fired. (expletive))”.
He also believes women should not be in combat roles because the practice does not make the military “more effective” or “more lethal.”
Doubts are growing about Hegseth’s chances of getting enough votes to be confirmed by the Senate, CBS reported.
Two sources told the news outlet that if a vote were held today, at least four Republican senators would likely vote against him.
Republicans are expected to gain 53 seats in the Senate, which must confirm cabinet-level positions in Trump’s new team. If Democrats and independents also vote against him, losing four Republican votes would be enough to defeat Hegseth’s nomination.
Some Washington lawmakers have questioned Hegseth’s qualifications to oversee a complex bureaucracy in the position he holds.
“I admit, I didn’t know who he was until 20 minutes ago,” said Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. “And he doesn’t appear to have any background in (Defense Department) policy.”
John Bolton, who served as national security adviser during Trump’s first term as president, told the BBC that the position of defense secretary should never be a “loyalty appointment.”
“The question is: Will he be Donald Trump’s yes-man, or will he be the professional, courageous man that he is when he’s in uniform?” Bolton asked.
Hegseth is not Trump’s first controversial appointment before returning to the White House.
Matt Gaetz, the former Florida congressman Trump nominated to be U.S. attorney general, is also facing scrutiny over sexual misconduct allegations against him — which he denies — that are the subject of a congressional report.
Gates ultimately withdrew his nomination in late November, saying the controversy against him was “unfairly distracting” from the work of the incoming Trump administration.
