Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) praised Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth for recently having a productive meeting with senators on the Hill.
“Pete does well in meetings because he doesn't shy away from the media or the tough questions,” Mullin said during an appearance on Fox News on Saturday.
“And I heard senator after senator who met with him say, 'I enjoyed that meeting,'” he told host Brian Kilmeade.
“He tackled the questions head-on, and I'm excited that the American people will be able to hear them answered during his hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on January 9. “I believe the Democrats will come out swinging,'' he added.
Mullin said Hegseth is prepared to field tough questions about his drinking and sexual assault allegations from Democratic lawmakers opposed to his nomination.
“They're going to literally dump everything on Pete, but what they're going to see is a guy who's already faced some questions and knows how to deal with some questions. ” Marin said.
President-elect Trump reaffirmed his commitment to nominate Hegseth despite the controversy.
Hegseth himself has not indicated any intention to withdraw. The former Fox News host has received support from Elon Musk through ads promoting him as a trusted leader.
