The decide by President-elect Trump to guide the Division of Protection, Pete Hegseth, appears to be on observe to get sufficient GOP Senate assist to be confirmed, regardless of going through a handful of allegations starting from sexual assault, extreme ingesting and fund mismanagement, all of which he has denied.
One Republican senator advised Fox Information Digital that they weren’t conscious of any GOP senators who’re a “hard no” on confirming Hegseth.
Hegseth “certainly” would not appear to be able the place he might really feel pressured to withdraw, they added.
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Pete Hegseth makes his technique to a gathering with Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., within the Russell constructing on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Tom Williams/Getty Pictures)
That is a lot completely different than the panorama for former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s earlier choice to be legal professional basic, who confronted a number of definitive “no” votes from senators.
Contending with the numerous lack of assist espoused most candidly behind closed doorways, Gaetz withdrew from the method simply days after being chosen.
Republicans could have a 53-47 majority within the subsequent Senate, and there’s solely room for Trump nominees to lose a number of GOP votes, assuming no Democrats select to again them.
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Gaetz withdrew himself from the affirmation course of. (Reuters)
Nevertheless, because the Republican senator conveyed, Hegseth would not seem to have misplaced any Republicans within the higher chamber at this level, together with extra reasonable lawmakers reminiscent of Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
Hegseth met with each of them this week on Capitol Hill. In accordance with Collins, “I had a good substantive discussion that lasted more than an hour.”
“We covered a wide range of topics ranging from defense procurement reforms to the role of women in the military, sexual assault in the military. Ukraine, NATO, a wide range of issues. I obviously always wait until we have an FBI background check and one is underway in the case of Mr. Hegseth, and I wait to see the committee hearing before reaching a final decision.”
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Collins met with Hegseth for a protracted time period. (Mark Makela)
Murkowski refused to debate her assembly with Hegseth, a former Fox Information host, when requested by reporters.
Trump’s protection secretary alternative has additionally met twice with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. After their first assembly earlier this month, Ernst admitted on Fox Information that she wasn’t bought on Hegseth but. However after their second assembly this week, she launched an announcement, saying, “As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.”
Ernst and Hegseth met twice. (Drew Angerer/Getty Pictures)
Ernst is notably the primary feminine fight veteran ever elected to the Senate and likewise sits on the Armed Providers Committee. She is moreover a survivor of sexual assault herself, which Hegseth has been accused of however denied.
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The altering tide, seemingly in favor of Hegseth’s affirmation, was articulated by Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to reporters. “You can feel the difference this week versus last week,” he mentioned.
“Kash [Patel] is not going to have an issue. Tulsi [Gabbard] is not going to have issue. People are going to ask the questions they should, but they’re going to get confirmed,” he added of different considerably controversial Trump picks.
