GOP senators defend Hegseth after private meeting
President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth leaves a meeting on Capitol Hill. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Conservative senators offered a full-throated defense of embattled Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth after a closed door meeting with him Monday night.
Why it matters: Hegseth is facing fresh reports of financial and sexual misconduct, which could threaten his confirmation.
- While these GOP senators offered clear support for Hegseth, it would take just four moderate Republicans to potentially sink his nomination.
- Hegseth met with 10-12 Republican senators on Monday night. He was joined by his wife Jennifer Rauchet, though senators told reporters they did not have the opportunity to talk with her.
- The allegations were also not discussed, they said.
- "He's clearly committed to making sure we have a lethal military that scares the crap out of our enemies," Scott said.
- "A year from now, military recruitment numbers will have skyrocketed under Secretary Hegseth," Cruz said. The Texas Republican accused Democrats of being "highly incentivized to make the confirmation hearing a spectacle" and urged the media to "have an equal amount of ink to the actual substance of the job."
- "We were embarrassed by our departure from Afghanistan, and we want to restore American confidence in our military," Lummis said. She added that "all these other issues are side issues.
- https://www.axios.com/2024/12/03/senators-pete-hegseth-defense-secretary-trump