U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer (D) said he wants President-elect Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, to stop drinking, following mounting reports that he has been drinking heavily in the past.
ofThe New Yorker reported on SundayMr. Hegseth was forced to resign by two nonprofit advocacy organizations he ran, citing mismanagement of funds, sexual misconduct and excessive drinking, the company said. NBC Newsreported on TuesdayHegseth's drinking also worried his colleagues at Fox News, where he served as weekend host until earlier this month.
“One of the things I want to hear is that he's working on his sobriety,” Kramer told CNN on Wednesday. “I know so much about the problem of alcoholism and the stupid things we do when we drink too much that I hope to put that issue on the sidelines, at least for the duration of my term as Secretary, if not for good.” I think it would be really great if you could put it there.”
Cramer's comments come as Hegseth faces an uphill battle for Senate confirmation to the top Pentagon post.
Mr. Hegseth was scheduled to meet with Sens. Ted Budd (R-Idaho), Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Eric Schmidt (R-Missouri) on Tuesday. It would take just four Republican senators to join all Senate Democrats in blocking his nomination.
Hegseth has also come under fire in recent media reports, including allegations of sexual assault related to consensual encounters and previous comments about not allowing women to serve in combat roles in the military. According to a New York Times article published last week, Mr. Hegseth's mother emailed him in 2018, saying that Mr. Hegseth had “routinely abused women for years” and “beloved.” He accused her of showing a lack of sexuality.
Hegseth insists he has no intention of backing down despite intense scrutiny.
Hegseth posted a photo of himself from his time in the military on social platform X with a message suggesting he was the subject of a smear campaign from Democrats.
“I'm doing this for the militants, not the warmongers. The left is afraid of disruptors and changemakers. They're afraid of @realDonaldTrump and me.”he wrote.
“So they're filling it with fake anonymous sources and BS articles. They don't want the truth,” Hegseth continued. “Our warriors will never back down, and neither will I.”
