Pete Hegseth told reporters on Wednesday that President-elect Donald Trump has encouraged him to “keep fighting” amidst doubts about his confirmation as Defense secretary.
“I spoke to the president-elect this morning. He said, keep going, keep fighting,” Hegseth said. “Why would I back down? I’ve always been a fighter.”
While senators have not publicly declared his confirmation as done, many Republicans acknowledge the challenges Hegseth faces in addressing allegations of sexual misconduct, making discriminatory remarks, and being intoxicated on duty. Several Republicans emphasized the importance of his confirmation hearing and upcoming meetings with lawmakers.
“There are hard questions being raised, so he’ll have to answer those,” said incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who is scheduled to meet with Hegseth on Wednesday. “My assumption is throughout the process, we’ll get that opportunity.”
Despite rumors circulating, several senators dismissed speculations that Trump might replace Hegseth with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as Defense secretary, emphasizing their focus on confirming Hegseth.
“They’re still moving to try to get him confirmed,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C).
Incoming Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) indicated that Trump’s consideration of DeSantis as a replacement for Hegseth was not apparent during their meeting, and he declined to disclose his support for Hegseth, only mentioning that their meeting went “very well.”
With Republicans holding a 53-47 majority in the Senate, Hegseth could afford to lose only three Republican votes if Democrats oppose his confirmation and Vice President-elect JD Vance casts a tie-breaking vote.
Lawmakers who may sway the decision remained tight-lipped on Hegseth’s chances. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) emphasized the importance of a thorough background check, while Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) initially avoided questions and discussed the Alaskan origins of the Capitol Christmas tree before mentioning her meeting with Hegseth next week.
Hegseth’s meeting with Thune holds significance as the incoming leader will oversee the confirmation votes for Trump’s nominees and face pressure to expedite the process.
Thune refrained from commenting on reports of Trump considering DeSantis as an alternative Pentagon nominee, noting the typical rumors surrounding confirmation processes and emphasizing Trump’s commitment to his nominees.
Hegseth is also scheduled to meet with Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) on Wednesday, both of whom have called for Hegseth to address the allegations against him.
