Trump maintains his support for Hegseth
Fox News senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich breaks down the latest on President-elect Trump publicly supporting his nomination of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense on Truth Social and more on ‘Special Report’.
President-elect Trump expressed public support for the fight Secretary of Defense candidate Pete Hegseth Friday, and the nominee said he had a “substantive 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 come to light. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Ernst has not promised to vote for Hegseth.
“It looks like Pete is doing well now,” Trump told Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press” on Friday. “I mean, people were a little concerned. He’s actually a young guy with a great track record. Went to Princeton, went to Harvard. He was a good student at both, but he loves the military. And I think people are too. We’re starting to see it now, so we’ll be working with a lot of others on his nomination.”
PETE HEGSETH SAYS HE WILL ‘STAND HERE IN THIS FIGHT’ AFTER MEETING WITH SENATORS
President-elect Trump gave his public support to embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday, with the nominee saying 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 actually a military man. I mean, every time I talk to him, all he wants to talk about is the military.”
Trump said that while he had no assurances from senators that his nomination would be confirmed, he believes he will pull through.
“I’ve had a lot of senators call me and say he was great,” Trump said.
Asked by Welker about the allegations of excessive drinking, Trump said: “Well, I’ve talked to people who know him very well, and they say he doesn’t have a drinking problem.”
THE INCOMING PRESS SECRETARY OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE TRUMP’S SUPPORT FOR HEGSETH
Trump also endorsed Hegseth on Truth Social on Friday, writing: “Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep. He was a great student – Princeton/Harvard educated – with a military mindset. He will be a fantastic student. , high energy, Secretary of Defense, someone who leads with charisma and skill Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speaks to reporters after a closed-door lunch meeting with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol, Oct. 17, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Hegseth wrote on his X account on Friday: “I just had another substantive conversation with Senator Ernst. I appreciate her sincere commitment to defense policy and I look forward to meeting her again next week.”
Ernst also called their meeting “constructive” because of her and added that the two plan to do so meet again next week.
“Pete Hegseth and I will continue our constructive conversations as we move forward in this process together. We plan to meet again next week. In any case, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing. she said.
Newly elected Vice President JD Vance also told reporters on Friday that Hegseth has the full support of the new administration and will not face a “sham hearing in front of the American media.”
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, walks through the basement of the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
TRUMP SET DESANTIS AS POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT FOR DEFENSE SECRETARY IF HEGSETH FALT
“Pete Hegseth is getting his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, not a mock hearing in front of 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 will not abandon this nomination.
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“I fully support Pete. I think Pete is going to be confirmed, and we fully support him. I’ve spoken to Joni (Ernst). I’ve spoken to some of my colleagues about this nomination and about other nominations. All I wonder if people actually allow the nomination process in the Senate to work. We do not determine important government officials based on anonymous sources from the US media.’
