Republican senators expressed confidence in Army veteran Pete Hegseth’s confirmation as the incoming Trump administration’s defense secretary after meeting with him on Thursday.
Hegseth, along with Vice President-Elect Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), met with Republican Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Roger Wicker (R-MS).
Senators indicated that 2017 allegations of a sexual assault — that ended in no charges and that Hegseth has said stemmed from a consensual sexual encounter — would not derail his confirmation.
In a statement, Barrasso, who will soon be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said:
Pete Hegseth is a strong nominee to lead the Department of Defense. We had an excellent discussion about the need for America’s military to remain the best in the world. That means taking care of our service members, equipping them with the latest technology, and focusing on making our military the most lethal force on the planet. Pete pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.
National security nominations have a history of quick confirmations in the Senate. I look forward to Pete’s hearing and a vote on the floor in January. […]
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