WASHINGTON — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s chosen for defense secretary, spent a second day on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, meeting privately with Republican senators amid mounting questions about his ability to effectively lead the Pentagon.
Hegseth told reporters he planned to sit down with senators, even those who might be skeptical about it his appointment.
“We’re going to meet with every senator who wants to meet with us, across the board,” Hegseth said as he went from office to office on Tuesday. “And we welcome their advice as we move through the counseling and advisory process.”
Trump tapped the Fox News co-host, a former National Guard major and combat veteran who deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, as his secretary of defense, typically one of the first Cabinet posts up for confirmation by the U.S. Senate be taken into consideration.
But Hegseth is facing questions amid a sexual assault allegation, which he has denied, and other emerging reports about his work conduct and history.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said some of the reports are “disturbing.”
“I want to ensure that every young woman who joins the military feels respected and welcome,” Graham told CBS News.
The South Carolina lawmaker later told the AP that he doesn’t know whether to believe the allegations, and Hegseth “has an opportunity to say this is true or not true.”
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he has seen the reports. “I’ll get a chance to talk to him, and I’m sure he’ll address them,” he said. “But my opinion is: let the hearing take place.”
Before he was asked to serve as weekend host of ‘Fox & Friends,” Hegseth served with two veterans advocacy groups, Concerned Veterans for America and Veterans For Freedom.
In new allegations this week, the New Yorker cited what it described as a whistleblower report and other documents about his time leading CVA, alleging multiple incidents of alcohol intoxication at work events, inappropriate behavior around female staffers and financial mismanagement.
NBC News reported that several unnamed current and former Fox employees who worked with Hegseth raised concerns about his drinking habits, including some saying he would smell of alcohol.
The Associated Press spoke to four people who either worked at CVA or were familiar with Hegseth’s time there, and who insisted on anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to the media or had signed non-disclosure agreements.
Although the group’s all-day conferences sometimes stretched over and often ended at a nearby bar, three of the four said they had not seen Hegseth drunk at events.
However, one person affiliated with CVA told the AP that some employees had expressed concerns about Hegseth’s drinking, but said his departure from the group was more related to growing ideological differences between him and the network of conservative nonprofits funded by billionaire donors Charles Koch. and his late brother, David Koch.
Trump draws from the ranks of loyalists to fill his administration and Cabinet positions, often overwhelming Washington with unusual choices that are provocative and test the senators who will be asked to confirm them under House scrutiny. advisory and consenting role.
An early choice, Matt Gaetzthe former Florida congressman, abruptly withdrew from consideration when it became clear that Senate support was eroding. Gaetz, who was under investigation but never filed federal charges Sex trafficking investigationconfronted with a home ethic investigation into sexual misconduct.
Trump’s picks can only afford to lose a few opponents in the Senate, where majority approval is needed to be confirmed. Republicans will have a 53-seat majority in the new year, meaning four Republican votes could sink a nominee if all Democrats oppose.
Republican senators have been weighing their options.
If confirmed, Hegseth would not only be part of the crucial command and control of the country’s nuclear weapons, but would also be sixth in the line of succession to the presidency. It’s a position that’s aging residents and requiring constant response, due to the number of unforeseen circumstances that can arise in the middle of the night when U.S. service members are put in harm’s way.
There have been private conversations between senators about the allegations and how to handle the situation, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private conversations.
During a closed-door meeting with a dozen senators late Monday evening, no one asked Hegseth about the allegations against him.
“You know what? The American people want to restore our military,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said after the meeting. He labeled the criticism of Hegseth as “shameful”.
While Republican senators have been reluctant to ask questions publicly — and several dismissed the reports outright — many of them indicated he could face tough questions in a confirmation hearing.
“That’s what the process is designed for,” said Utah Rep. John Curtis, an incoming freshman senator.
Questions about Hegseth and other nominees include “why a background check is important, why a committee investigation is critical,” said Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.
Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama said Monday after a meeting with Hegseth that he strongly supports the nomination.
But Tuberville said of the allegations: “If it is to some extent, people are not going to vote to confirm him.”
Hegseth, 44, co-hosted Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor to the network since 2014. He developed a friendship with Trump, who appeared regularly on the show.
Hegseth served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011, earning two Bronze Stars. He lacks senior military and national security experience and would oversee global crises ranging from Europe to the Middle East.
A woman told police she had been sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door of a California hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to a detailed investigative report recently made public.
Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter was consensual and denied any wrongdoing.
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Associated Press writers Byron Tau and Kimberly Kindy and researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.