Two GOP senators stated they consider Pete Hegseth could have the votes to be confirmed as the subsequent U.S. protection secretary following a contentious listening to on Tuesday.
Sens. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., joined “The Ingraham Angle” to share their assessments of Hegseth’s path to changing into part of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
“I consider, with out query, Pete’s going to be confirmed, and I feel you are going to have sturdy assist from all of the Republicans, women and men alike,” Mullin stated. “I feel he’s the fitting individual for the job, and President Trump did a beautiful job by choosing him to be the subsequent secretary of protection.”
THE TOP 5 MOMENTS FROM PETE HEGSETH’S SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING
Pete Hegseth, army analyst at Twenty-First Century Fox Inc. and US secretary of protection nominee for US President-elect Donald Trump, throughout a Senate Armed Services Committee affirmation listening to in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg by way of Getty Images (Kent Nishimura)
Mullin additionally praised his Republican colleague, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, for throwing her assist behind Hegseth after she initially appeared skeptical about his nomination due to remarks he made about girls in fight and allegations of sexual misconduct. Hegseth denies the allegations.
The former “Fox & Friends Weekend” co-host stated in a podcast in early November the United States “shouldn’t have girls in fight roles.”
“It hasn’t made us simpler. Hasn’t made us extra deadly. Has made combating extra sophisticated,” he stated on an episode of the “Shawn Ryan Show.”
Ernst, a fight veteran herself and sexual assault survivor, met with Hegseth a number of occasions main as much as the confirmation hearing earlier than throwing her assist behind Trump’s choose to steer the Pentagon on Tuesday night.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, talks to reporters following the weekly Senate Republican coverage luncheon within the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 14, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Cotton informed Fox News host Laura Ingraham he believes Hegseth has the votes to be confirmed by the Senate. A vote is anticipated a while subsequent week.
“I hope the Democrats won’t delay or in any other case hinder this nomination. If they wish to vote towards him, that is high quality, however President Trump deserves to have his secretary of protection on the job correctly,” Cotton stated.
He railed towards the hurt of “political correctness” and “social engineering” that’s “run amok” within the army.
“It’s most likely declined recruiting numbers to the purpose that we’re at a recruiting disaster and it is harmed readiness. Look, our troops do not deserve their pronouns on their ID tags. They need not do privilege walks. They do not need to undergo repeated coaching classes about diversity, equity and inclusion,” Cotton continued. “What they deserve is difficult, sensible coaching to assist put together them to defend this nation at wartime. The type of coaching that Pete Hegseth has performed and that he is run.”
The Pentagon is seen from Air Force One because it flies over Washington, March 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Several Democratic senators grilled Hegseth on his expertise operating two veteran nonprofit organizations and his alleged financial mismanagement throughout his time at Concerned Veterans for America and Veterans for Freedom.
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., pressed the army veteran on his {qualifications} and his expertise in management positions.
“We’re mainly hiring you to be the CEO of one of the complicated, largest organizations on this planet. We’re the board of administrators right here,” Peters stated, pointing to his Senate Armed Services committee colleagues.
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“I don’t suppose there’s a board of administrators in America that might rent you as a CEO with the type of expertise you have got in your resume,” he added.
