Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst appears to have warmed up to Pentagon chief nominee Pete Hegseth, despite his reluctance to support him behind closed doors.
Ernst and Hegseth met for the second time on Monday after meeting for the first time last week. After their first meeting, Ernst said the two had a “frank and thorough dialogue” but refrained from formally endorsing Ernst.
Mr. Ernst, who has spent much of his career advocating for victims of sexual assault in the military, initially called Mr. Hegseth over allegations about Mr. Hegseth's personal life, ranging from sexual misconduct to irresponsible drinking habits. It was believed that he would oppose the nomination of Notably, Mr. Hegseth has denied the allegations, and many of his colleagues have publicly defended him.
“I will support Pete throughout this process and look forward to a fair hearing based on truth and not anonymous sources.”
Additionally, sources close to the Senate say Ernst was lobbying Hegseth because Hegseth was a “useful proxy” for veteran Senate Republicans like former leader Mitch McConnell. He acknowledged that he is fulfilling his role as a person.
Despite past hesitations, Mr. Ernst appears to have publicly moved forward with the nomination after a second meeting with Mr. Hegseth.
“I appreciate Pete Hegseth's responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst said. statement After Monday's meeting, according to Business Insider.
“After our encouraging conversations, Pete completed a full audit of the Department of Defense, supporting the role and value of our servicemen and women based on quality and standards, not quotas, and prioritizing and strengthening my mission as a senior official.” “We have committed to electing and working to prevent sexual assault within our ranks,'' Ernst continued.
Assuming Vice President-elect J.D. Vance joins the vote, Hegseth can only lose three votes in Senate confirmation. In the unofficial tally, Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Susan Collins (Maine) and McConnell are considered as possible non-voters, with Ernst as the tie-breaking candidate. are.
“I will support Pete throughout this process and look forward to a fair hearing based on truth and not anonymous sources,” Ernst said.
Do you like Blaze News? Avoid censorship and sign up for our newsletter to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Please register here!
