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.
What they’re saying: Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) emerged with full support for Hegseth to lead the department — praising his vision for military reforms and dismissing the allegations.
- “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.”
The big picture: Hegseth will likely have a difficult confirmation process, even as most Senate Republicans are eager to sign off on the people Trump wants in his Cabinet.
- The New Yorker also reported — citing whistleblower reports — that Hegseth was forced to step down from his role in two different veterans groups because of alleged misconduct.
