President-elect Donald Trump on Friday publicly expressed support of Pete Hesgeth, his embattled pick to lead the Pentagon, following Hesgeth’s whirlwind week of meetings with lawmakers, negative press and speculation that Trump could soon replace him.
In a post on the Trump-owned Truth Social social media site, Trump said that Hegseth was doing well.
“His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe. He was a great student – Princeton/Harvard educated – with a Military state of mind. He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Trump said.
Hegseth had spent the past week in the Capitol, working to shore up support among Republican senators whose votes he will need to be confirmed next year, and to do damage control to combat a steady drip of negative press — including allegations of excessive drinking, sexual impropriety and mismanagement of funds at two veterans organizations, of which he was the head.
As the allegations mounted, media reports citing unnamed sources said Trump was considering replacing Hegseth. Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Pentagon official Elbridge Colby had all been floated as contenders for the top Defense Department job.
In hallway interviews and a high-profile sit-down with Megyn Kelly, who like Hegseth is a former Fox News host, Hegseth said he was being “smeared” by the media.
Republican senators have not openly opposed Hegseth — and many support him — but some have voiced concerns over the allegations. And Hegseth can afford to lose precious few votes given Republicans’ 53 Senate seats next year, assuming all Democrats oppose him.
As scrutiny builds, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., wrote to Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I., and ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., urging them to ensure financial records from two nonprofit groups Hegseth used to lead are available for panel members to review.
Blumenthal in his Wednesday letter made the case for demanding that the groups Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America “preserve and produce” credit card records, tax filings, revenue reports and more from the time of Hegseth’s employment at both nonprofits.
And Hegseth is expected to continue meeting with lawmakers next week, including key GOP moderates Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.
Collins, currently the top Republican on the Defense Appropriations panel, told reporters Wednesday night that she has “a host of questions” for Hegseth, “ranging from his views on Ukraine and the size of our Navy to the allegations that have been lodged against him.”
Ernst, a member of the Armed Services Committee with whom Hegseth met on Wednesday, pointedly declined to publicly endorse his selection, simply describing their meeting as a “frank and thorough conversation.”
Speaking Thursday morning on Fox News, Ernst again did not signal support for Hegseth, and instead stressed the importance of the confirmation process.
“I think for a number of our senators, they want to make sure that any allegations have been cleared, and that’s why we have to have a very thorough vetting process,” she said.
Thus far, Hegseth has not met with any Senate Democrats, a decision Blumenthal criticized Thursday.
Briana Reilly contributed to this report.
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