(Adnkronos) – The appointment of Pete Hegseth, the Fox News anchor, a voice of the Christian far right, overwhelmed by accusations of sexual assault and serious alcohol problems, as head of the Pentagon is becoming increasingly shaky. This is the message that Republican senators continue to send to Donald Trump’s transition team, which is said to be privately evaluating other candidates, not just California Gov. Ron DeSantis, but also Sen. Joni Ernest.
And the Iowa Republican is one of the senators Hegseth met with on Capitol Hill, where he showed up reiterating his desire to “fight” for his nomination, as Trump would ask him to do, dismissing the “false accusations” manipulated by “the left that fears change.” For her part, Ernest, an Iraq veteran, where she had combat roles that Hegseth would like to deny women, who reported being a victim of sexual assault, said she had a “frank and in-depth” conversation with the Fox News anchor, refusing to answer any questions about a possible candidacy of her own.
“Pete is the nominee,” the Republican replied, who, they point out in the Senate hallways, must proceed with extreme caution if she aims, in the event of Hegseth’s downfall, for the Pentagon chief’s nomination, considering the risk of ending up in the crosshairs of the Maga base if she was seen as responsible for sinking their champion’s nomination.
However, several Republican senators say they are “very concerned” about Hegseth’s appointment: “it hurts the president, and it doesn’t help the Senate,” says one of them, referring to the prospect of confirmation hearings with testimony about the sexual abuse and alcohol problems of the possible future head of the world’s largest military. Not to mention the fear that there may be other revelations.
According to some sources, three senators, the two moderates Susan Collins and former leader Mitch McConnell, are already convinced to vote no, but many others express uncertainty and embarrassment, including Trump’s staunch ally, Lindesy Graham, who yesterday was openly talking about the DeSantis alternative. In short, concludes another Republican senator, if it comes to a vote in committee or on the floor Hegseth could be “destined” for defeat, calculating that Republicans will have a majority of just 3 seats from January.
Hegseth, however, continues to defend himself tooth and nail, publicly denouncing a media conspiracy against him by the left – even though it was the conservative Wall Street Journal that first revealed the contacts between Trump and DeSantis – and even going so far as to promise Republican senators, in private meetings, that he would stop drinking if confirmed as head of the Pentagon. “I think that’s probably a good idea,” commented Roger Wicker, the incoming chairman of the Armed Services Committee.
