Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said she plans to meet with defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth again next week as he continues to make his pitch to lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
“Pete Hegseth and I will continue to have constructive conversations as we move through this process together. We plan to meet again next week,” Ernst wrote in a Friday post on the social media platform. ×.
“At the very least, we agree that he deserves a fair hearing to explain his vision for our nation's warfighters.”
Mr. Ernst is believed to be one of several Republicans expressing support for Mr. Hegseth, which could lead to a tough confirmation hearing and process for the former Fox News host. Late Friday, President-elect Trump said he was confident Hegseth would be confirmed by the Senate.
Ernst previously served in the Iowa National Guard as a lieutenant colonel during the Iraq War. She and Hegseth met earlier this week, and Hegseth said they met again on Friday.
“I had another substantive conversation with Senator Ernst. I appreciate her honest commitment to defense policy and look forward to meeting with her again next week,” he wrote on Friday. ×.
After the first meeting, Mr. Ernst maintained his support for Mr. Trump's selection to lead the Pentagon.
