President-elect Donald Trump and his aides packed a crowd around Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth on Friday, affirming that they support him 100 percent despite a coordinated smear campaign based on anonymous sources. suggested that he was doing so.
President Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday:
“Pete Hegseth is in great spirits. His support is strong and deep, much stronger than the fake news would have you believe. He is a Princeton/Harvard educated, military-minded man. “He was a great student,” he said. “He will be a great, energetic Secretary of Defense and someone who will lead with charisma and skill. Pete is a winner and there is nothing he can do to change that!!!”
President Trump later said in an interview with NBC News that he trusts Hegseth. He's a very smart man. ”
Earlier in the day, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance issued a lengthy comment reiterating his support.
Pete Hegseth will have a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, rather than a sham hearing before the American media. We believe Pete Hegseth is the right person to lead the Department of Defense, which is why President Trump nominated him. We have no intention of abandoning this nomination. We are not going to make it easy for the public to let the media decide who the Secretary of Defense is. Donald J. Trump won the election by a very large margin with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. That determines who the Secretary of Defense is. I fully support Pete. I think Pete will get the nod and we fully support him.
President Trump's spokesman Stephen Chan also denied rumors that the president was considering other candidates.
“Stand with @PeteHegseth! He's your only option,” Cheung wrote on X.
“#StandWithPete,” tweeted Stephen Miller, another close aide to President Trump.
Follow Christina Wong's “X” on Breitbart News. society of truth,or facebook.
