Pete Hegseth Tries Salvaging Nomination With Capitol Hill Blitz

As embattled secretary of defense nominee Pete Hegseth emerged midday Wednesday from incoming Senate majority leader John Thune’s office, he was quickly surrounded by reporters. Hegeth said he had spoken that morning to Donald Trump, and that the president-elect “fully” supports him. “We’re not going anywhere,” Hegseth added. The former Fox & Friends weekend anchor urged reporters with questions to watch his upcoming interview with another former Fox host, Megyn Kelly.

Hegseth made the rounds on Capitol Hill amid growing opposition from lawmakers and questions over his qualifications and fitness to lead the Pentagon. Hegseth, a former Army officer, has drawn praise from some for his military service but is under scrutiny for his lack of leadership experience, controversial views, and mounting misconduct allegations involving women and alcohol. Meanwhile, alternative candidates including Senator Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, are reportedly being floated as potential replacements if Hegseth’s nomination collapses.

Among Senate Republicans I’ve encountered this week, reactions to Hegseth range from strong support to outright skepticism. Republican senators like Florida’s Rick Scott, Oklahoma’s Markwayne Mullin and Texas’s Ted Cruz offered unequivocal support, with the latter calling him a “very impressive guy” with “a vision of reforming the Defense Department and refocusing it on its core mission, and that is supporting the war fighter and enhancing lethality—to be prepared to defeat and if necessary kill the enemy.” Others, like Senator John Cornyn, also of Texas, have yet to take a position, waiting for their scheduled meetings with the nominee.

One junior GOP senator who agreed to speak on background about Hegseth’s nomination said they doubted he would be confirmed by the Senate. The senator suggested that “Trump was unaware of his problems with women and alcohol when he nominated him,” adding that a complete review of Hegseth’s leadership of the nonprofit Concerned Veterans for America (CVFA) could reveal “a degree of financial mismanagement that would be disqualifying.”

The New Yorker reported Sunday that “a trail of documents, corroborated by the accounts of former colleagues, indicates that Hegseth was forced to step down by both of the two nonprofit advocacy groups that he ran—Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America—in the face of serious allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual impropriety, and personal misconduct.” (An attorney for Hegseth, Timothy Parlatore, dismissed the “outlandish claims laundered through The New Yorker.”) A 2016 letter from a CVFA trustee, published Wednesday in the New York Post, described Hegseth as having “voluntarily resigned” over “a difference of opinion as to the future of the organization.”

In addition, Vanity Fair special correspondent Gabriel Sherman reported last month on the Trump transition team learning about a 2017 sexual assault allegation made against Hegseth, which he denies. On Tuesday, Sherman reported about Hegseth’s first marriage, a period in which sources say he admitted to multiple infidelities. (Parlatore did not respond to a detailed list of questions for Sherman’s story, though did impugn his reporting in a statement.) And The New York Times revealed that Hegseth’s mother, Penelope Hegseth, had accused her son of mistreating women in a 2018 email; a Trump spokesman called the Times “despicable” for publishing “an out-of-context snippet,” while of Penelope defended her son Wednesday on Fox News.

At the Capitol this week, Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican nominated by Trump to serve as secretary of state, expressed measured optimism while emphasizing the Senate’s vetting role. “I like Pete. I think he would do a good job,” Rubio said. He refrained from endorsing Hegseth outright, adding, “The Senate will have to do its job.”

Other Republicans echoed the need for thorough scrutiny. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama said she plans to meet with Hegseth, adding that her evaluation would center on his “vision for the position” and addressing questions important to her constituents. Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, did not commit to supporting Hegseth, saying instead that he will meet with Trump’s pick to discuss “plans for building up the military and peace through strength.” Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas said he is withholding judgment until he has all the facts, referencing his father’s advice to “only believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.” Senator John Boozman of Arkansas signaled hesitation, particularly when questioned about past controversies involving Hegseth, including alleged misconduct. “That’s why we have hearings,” Boozman said with a laugh, acknowledging the likelihood of a contentious confirmation process.

Trump’s transition team announced Tuesday that it would allow the FBI to conduct background checks for senior officials; still, The New York Times noted, it’s unclear if Trump would “require his appointees to undergo the process or was simply allowing the FBI to begin looking at those who are willing to submit to its scrutiny.” (A spokesperson for the Trump transition did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Vanity Fair on whether they will request a background check on Hegseth.)

“Pete Hegseth is looking forward to an FBI background check and wants to start as soon as possible,” Parlatore wrote in a statement to Vanity Fair. Parlatore added that Hegseth “is confident that the professional investigators at the FBI will conduct a thorough background check” and “debunk” what he characterized as “false media reports.”

Predictably, Senate Democrats are not coming to Hegseth’s rescue. “It’s outrageous he was nominated. There’s no way that man should be running the Department of Defense,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. Stabenow said that Ernst, a decorated combat veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, would be a more credible candidate to lead the Pentagon. Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado said he thought Ernst “would be a great secretary of defense” despite his policy disagreements with her.

Even some Republicans have privately raised Ernst’s name as a viable alternative. Ernst’s deep military background and bipartisan credibility make her a natural fit for the role, according to several senators.

Behind the scenes, Trump allies are also considering DeSantis as a potential replacement for Hegseth, according to NBC News. DeSantis, a Navy veteran with experience in military law, could serve as a more traditional pick for a Senate growing increasingly wary of Hegseth’s partisan profile. DeSantis’s strained relationship with Trump, however, may complicate his candidacy.

Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, if he makes it that far into the process, will be pivotal. With criticism mounting from both sides of the aisle, the nominee will need to demonstrate not only his qualifications but also his ability to lead one of the largest and most complex government agencies in the world. The hearing will also give senators a chance to question Hegseth directly about his plans for the Pentagon and address lingering concerns about his past.

Whether Hegseth can survive the Senate gauntlet remains uncertain, but it’s already apparent that Trump—even with a 53-47 GOP majority in the Senate come January—may struggle to get his more controversial picks over the finish line. Last month, Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations, which he has denied.