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Trump maintains support for Hegseth
Fox News Chief White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich has the latest on President-elect Trump publicly supporting his nomination of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense on Social Truth and more on “Special Report.”
President-elect Trump expressed public support for the raiders Pete Hegseth, nominee for secretary of defense Friday, and the candidate said he had a “substantial conversation” with Sen. Joni Ernst.
Hegseth, a former National Guard officer, has been meeting with Republican senators this week to rally support as allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking have surfaced. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Ernst has not committed to voting for Hegseth.
“Pete seems to be fine now,” Trump told Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press” Friday. “I mean, people were a little worried. He’s a young guy with a tremendous track record, actually. He went to Princeton, he went to Harvard. He was a good student at both, but he loves the military. And I think people are starting to see it, so we will work on his nomination along with many others.”
PETE HEGSETH SAYS ‘HE’LL BE HERE MORE IN THIS FIGHT’ AFTER MEETING WITH SENATORS
President-elect Trump publicly endorsed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday, and the nominee said he had a “substantial conversation” with Sen. Joni Ernst. (Allison Robbert-Pool/Getty Images; AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Trump confirmed that he still has confidence in Hegseth.
“He’s a very smart guy,” Trump said. “I know him through Fox, but I’ve known him for a long time. I mean, he’s basically a military guy. I mean, every time I talk to him, he just wants to talk about the military.”
Trump said that while he had no assurances from senators that his nomination would be confirmed, he believed he would get it.
“I’ve had a lot of senators call me saying it’s great,” Trump said.
Asked by Welker about the allegations of heavy drinking, Trump said, “Well, I’ve talked to people who know him very well and they say he doesn’t have a problem with alcohol.”
WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY ENTRADA ADDRESS TRUMP’S SUPPORT FOR HEGSETH
Trump also endorsed Hegseth at the Truth Social on Friday, writing: “Pete Hegseth is doing great. His support is strong and deep. He was a great student – Princeton/Harvard educated – with a military. He will be a fantastic, high-energy Secretary of Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill, Pete is a WINNER, and nothing can be done to change that.”
Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speaks to reporters after a closed-door lunch meeting with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol on October 17, 2023 in Washington, DC (Drew Anger/Getty Images)
Hegseth wrote on his X account on Friday: “I just had another substantial conversation with Senator Ernst, I appreciate her sincere commitment to defense policy and look forward to meeting with her again next week.”
Ernst also called their meeting “constructive” on his own, adding that both plan to meet again next week
“Pete Hegseth and I will continue our constructive conversations as we move forward together in this process. We plan to meet again next week. At the very least, we agree that he deserves an opportunity to set out his vision for our fighters in a fair hearing,” he said.
Vice President-elect JD Vance also told reporters Friday that Hegseth has the full support of the incoming administration and will not face a “mock hearing in front of the American media.”
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, walks through the Capitol basement Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
TRUMP FLOATS DESANTIS AS POTENTIAL DEFENSE SECRETARY REPLACEMENT IF HEGSETH IS MISSING
“Pete Hegseth will have his hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, not a mock hearing before the American media,” Vance told reporters while in North Carolina. “We believe Pete Hegseth is the right man to lead the Department of Defense. That’s why Trump nominated him. We’re not abandoning that nomination.
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“I fully support Pete. I think Pete will be confirmed, and we’re completely behind him. I’ve talked to Joni (Ernst). I’ve talked to some of my colleagues about this nomination and about other nominations. I wonder if people really allows the Senate nomination process to work.We do not determine important government officials based on the anonymous supply of American media.
