President-elect Donald Trump may tap Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to replace Pete Hegseth as the secretary of defense nominee if he fails to secure enough votes in the Senate. Anonymous sources familiar with the discussions have told several news outlets DeSantis could step in.
As of Wednesday morning, Dec. 4, Hegseth remained confident in his nomination. He told reporters that he spoke with Trump, who encouraged him to “keep going” and “keep fighting.”
He added, “Why would I back down? I’ve always been a fighter. I’m here for the warfighters. This is personal and passionate for me.”
I’m doing this for the warfighters, not the warmongers.
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) December 4, 2024
The Left is afraid of disrupters and change agents. They are afraid of @realDonaldTrump—and me. So they smear w/ fake, anonymous sources & BS stories. They don’t want truth.
Our warriors never back down, & neither will I. pic.twitter.com/nDQ5aUlv7i
Hegseth, Trump’s original pick for secretary of defense, has faced a series of allegations since his nomination, with media outlets covering claims ranging from sexual assault to financial mismanagement.
Hegseth’s mother has also accused him of mistreating women, and the latest media reports have highlighted concerns over his drinking.
Hegseth and his supporters have denied the allegations against him, defending his qualifications for the role in the Trump administration.
“The left is afraid of Trump and me. So they smear with fake, anonymous sources and BS stories. They don’t want truth,” Hegseth wrote in a post on X.
The defense secretary nominee continued to defend himself against new allegations of a drinking problem. NBC News reported it spoke with 10 anonymous Fox employees for the story. Two people, according to NBC, said they smelled alcohol on Hegseth before he appeared on air as co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend.”
Two of those employees, along with another source, claimed that Hegseth appeared on television after discussing being hungover.
Several current and former Fox News employees have since denied these reports, calling them “false,” “wrong” and “malicious” on social media.
In addition to his colleagues, Hegseth’s mother spoke out following the publication of an email she sent him in 2018, which was obtained by The New York Times. The email criticized him for mistreating women. His mother later apologized, explaining that the email was written “in anger” during a difficult divorce.
In a follow-up interview with Fox, Hegseth’s mother said she now wants people to judge him for who he is today, not based on past media reports.
Hegseth’s confirmation is now in the hands of the Senate. Republicans hold a majority, but he can only afford to lose the support of three GOP senators if no Democrats vote for him. While some Republican senators have expressed public support, others have voiced doubts.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told CBS News' @MacFarlaneNews on Tuesday that some of the reported allegations of misconduct against Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for defense secretary, are "disturbing" and will be hard to defend.
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 3, 2024
Graham, who served in the… pic.twitter.com/o9OElt4SE8
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, R, told CBS News that the allegations were “troubling” but said Hegseth has a chance to defend himself.
“Some of these articles are very disturbing,” Graham said. “Time will tell. I like Pete. I’ve known him for a long time.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said that Hegseth’s confirmation could be in jeopardy. He told CBS that Hegseth lacks about five to 10 votes.
