Controversial Pete Hegseth's Pentagon Appointment Questioned

Photo: J. Scott Applewhite Associated Press Pete Hegseth, on the sidelines of a meeting with Senator Tommy Tuberville, at the Capitol, December 2

Agence France-Presse in Washington

Published at 10:13

• United States

The controversial nomination of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is being questioned, including within the Republican camp, the American press reported on Wednesday, citing the name of Florida Governor and former rival Ron DeSantis.

Trump may be forced to reconsider his choice of Mr. Hegseth, a former military man turned Fox News presenter, less than two months before the inauguration.

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Mr. Hegseth, 44, has been the subject of a series of scandals, including allegations of alcohol abuse and sexual assault dating back to 2017. Those scandals have not led to prosecutions but have loomed large, raising concerns about the suitability of Trump’s pick as Republican support in Congress wanes.

According to NBC News, as many as six Senate Republicans, including Lindsey Graham, one of Mr. Trump’s staunchest allies on Capitol Hill, have expressed reservations about Mr. Hegseth. The upper house will have to approve his nomination.

Doubts about Mr. Hegseth have grown with the emergence of an old email in which his own mother calls him a “woman abuser.”

“I think some of these articles are very troubling,” Graham told CBS News, noting that Hegseth “obviously has an opportunity to defend himself, but some of these things are going to be difficult” (to defend).

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Republicans have 53 seats in the the new Senate majority, meaning that, for confirmation votes, Mr. Trump can afford to lose only the support of three Republican senators, assuming all Democrats vote against him.

The press has been talking about Mr. DeSantis as his replacement, a surprising choice given that the two men have been competing for the Republican nomination. However, Ron DeSantis has endorsed Mr. Trump after dropping out of the race in early 2024.

The Defense Department — a key post in the world’s leading power — employs nearly three million military and civilian personnel, and defense spending — including veterans care — is expected to top $1 trillion in 2023.