Pete Hegseth SecDef Nomination Remains On Track

Former Fox Host Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s supporters this week launched an intense pressure campaign to keep lawmakers in line behind the president-elect’s most controversial nominees. It appears to be working, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Trump’s pick of Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary drew concerns from Republican senators because of a swirl of allegations about sexual misconduct and excessive drinking. Amid blowback from Trump allies and after several weeks of sit-down meetings with Hegseth, many senators say they are supportive of letting the confirmation process play out next year. While some still aren’t guaranteeing a “yes” vote, they are signaling they want to get to “yes.”

“As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R., Iowa), a military veteran who had remained noncommittal on Hegseth and faced threats of a primary challenge in 2026 unless she got on board.

with Senator Joni Ernst

Other senators, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), also indicated they don’t plan to throw up roadblocks. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R., N.D.) said Hegseth pledged to him that he wouldn’t touch alcohol while Defense secretary, and that he would give him the benefit of the doubt ahead of his confirmation hearing.

The turnaround for Hegseth shows the power of Trump’s MAGA moment, even as the president-elect himself has continued to back him publicly but has largely stayed above the fray. After former Rep. Matt Gaetz was forced to withdraw as the attorney general pick, Trump’s aides feel it is important to beat back the doubts over Hegseth to make sure concerns about other nominees don’t snowball, according to people familiar with the dynamic. 

Hegseth’s defenders have rejected various allegations against him, saying they are spurious and invalid coming from unnamed sources. In one incident that blindsided the Trump transition team, Hegseth faced a sexual-assault allegation from 2017, which he paid his accuser to keep secret even while denying the claims. Hegseth’s attorney has said he would consider suing the woman at the center of the 2017 allegations for defamation if she speaks publicly about the events.