Pete Hegseth has been in the crosshairs of the left since President-Elect Trump nominated him to lead the Department of Defense.
First, they said he was unqualified, completely ignoring his Ivy League education and decorated military service.
Then they tried to 'Kavanaugh' him with a 2017 accusation of sexual assault, which was investigated by police at the time. No charges were filed.
They accused him of being a white supremacist because he had tattoos or something.
Most recently, The New Yorker ran a hit piece claiming Hegseth was commonly intoxicated on the job while he worked for Concerned Vets for America. Senator Dick Blumenthal was quick to pounce on the story.
Do Democrats pounce or seize? It's hard to keep track.
NBC has doubled down on The New Yorker article with claims from Fox News employees.
NEW: Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s pick for defense secretary, drank in ways that concerned his colleagues at Fox News, according to 10 current and former Fox employees who spoke with NBC News. https://t.co/f6JLl87p5D
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 3, 2024
Of course, much like The New Yorker story, the NBC article cites anonymous sources that claim Hegseth smelled of alcohol or complained he was hungover while working at Fox.
Fox News host Joey Jones was willing to defend Hegseth on the record.
I don’t drink. I’m disgusted by the smell of alcohol on someone’s breath. I’ve never EVER seen Pete drink like that, and have never smelled alcohol on his breath at work. These hit pieces are getting laughable. https://t.co/6qdq3MhADh
— Joey Jones (@Johnny_Joey) December 4, 2024
This is the type of low-brow politics we've come to expect from Democrats. They've been masters of character assassination since Robert Bork. You would think, after years of using the same playbook, Republicans would know better.
NBC is now reporting that may not be the case.
LATEST: At least six GOP senators are not currently comfortable supporting President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the Defense Department, Pete Hegseth, following allegations concerning his drinking and treatment of women, three Republican sources say. https://t.co/lPo5mIMfWl
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 3, 2024
More anonymous sources. Go figure.
As many as six Senate Republicans, perhaps more, are currently not comfortable supporting Hegseth's bid to lead the Pentagon as new revelations about his past continue to be made public, three Republican sources with direct knowledge of his nomination process said. Given Republicans' slim Senate majority in the next Congress, Hegseth, a former Fox News host, can afford to lose only three GOP votes, assuming all Democrats vote against him.
From Senator Joni Ernst.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who is on the Armed Services Committee, would not commit to support Hegseth's nomination and said she planned to grill him about news accounts of allegations of alcohol abuse, mistreatment of woman and financial mismanagement.
“We’re just going to have a really frank and thorough conversation,” Ernst said.
From Senator Roger Wicker.
The initial allegations last month did not appear to put Hegseth’s planned nomination in danger. After his first round of meetings on Capitol Hill last month, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the chair of the Armed Services Committee, said he expected Hegseth to be confirmed. On Tuesday, after a series of other reports about Hegseth’s past but before NBC News reported on allegations concerning drinking at Fox News, Wicker sounded more cautious.
“I think there are questions that some members have, and we’re going to be looking for an answer,” Wicker said.
From Senator Lindsey Graham.
“We got a process where he can be asked questions. The articles I’ve read, yeah, some of them are concerning,” Graham said. “I don’t know if it's true or not, but he’ll go through the process. He’ll be asked about it. We’ll see what happens.”
More from Graham.
SEN. GRAHAM ON HEGSETH ALLEGATIONS: "Some of these articles are very disturbing. He obviously has a chance to defend himself here, but some of this stuff is is gonna be difficult, you know, time will tell." pic.twitter.com/qDOq9rnlfy
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 3, 2024
They're all a bit wishy-washy on Hegseth's nomination, and they may not be the only Senators with reservations.
BREAKING: These are the Republican Senators that won’t commit to confirming Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) December 3, 2024
Senator Susan Collins
Senator Lisa Murkowski
Senator John Curtis
Senator Lindsey Graham
Senator Mitch McConnell
Senator John Thune
If the 'RINO' caucus wants to sink Hegseth's nomination, they only need four no votes to do so.
Why worry about Democrats when this is what passes for a Republican. Trump needs to cut him out of everything. https://t.co/dRj5t5YlQ1
— You can’t make this Garbage up! (@cantpretendtoo) December 4, 2024
And if you believe this you’re falling for another Kavanaugh debacle. https://t.co/XbMG6cMnlk
— GAgirl1967❤️🖤 says Go Dawgs! (@Tamzilla_52) December 4, 2024
Democrats and their media attack dogs are throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Hegseth. The question is, will Republicans take the bait?
A few seem to be nibbling already.
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