Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to head the Pentagon, is facing a tough time getting confirmed by the Senate amid questions surrounding his suitability for the job.
The Army veteran and former Fox News host will have to allay concerns about sexual assault allegations, the graphic details of which were revealed in a police report released Wednesday. His unconfirmed position in running a major agency is also under scrutiny.
No Republican senators have yet publicly opposed him, but some have had a lackluster response to Trump's nomination. Only four Republicans would be needed to oppose Hegseth's nomination, narrowing his chances.
Moreover, the failure this week of former Rep. Matt Gaetz's nomination to be U.S. attorney general means that even if Republicans control both houses of Congress next year, the incoming Trump administration will hope to have no opposition when it comes to its controversial Cabinet. It shows that you may not be able to have everything. Pick.
The six Republican senators who could be key to his confirmation are:
Iowa State Senator Joni Ernst
Ernst, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, appears to dispute the sexual assault allegations against Hegseth, which she said require “a discussion.”
Ernst, a veteran of the National Guard and Army Reserve, told Politico, “Anytime there's an allegation, we want to make sure it's properly vetted, so we're going to have that conversation.”
Ernst has publicly shared that she was sexually assaulted by her boyfriend when she was a student at Iowa State University and that she was sexually harassed in the military, and that the military's response to sexual assault is has been loudly criticized. among military personnel.
She was also the only Republican to vote against the then-president. John Hyten became vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff after sexual assault allegations surfaced during his confirmation.
It also wants clarification on Hegseth's comments that women should not serve in combat roles.
“Even though she's on my staff, she's an infantry officer. . . . She's a tough woman, so he's going to have to explain that,” Ernst told reporters last week.
Alaska State Senator Lisa Murkowski
Murkowski is one of the few remaining moderate Republicans in the Senate and most frequently opposed President Trump during his first term, saying he did not vote for him in 2016, 2020 or 2024.
She was also one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict President Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
And Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said, “We're going to do what everyone should do on all of this.” [nominations] I mean, let's see what comes in. ”
Additionally, Murkowski is reportedly one of four senators who failed to participate in Matt Gaetz's attorney general nomination, with the former congressman dropping his name from the list on Thursday. did. Her rejection of Gates could be a harbinger of how she will vote when it's Hegseth's turn to be blamed.
North Dakota State Senator Kevin Cramer
Mr. Cramer, who is also a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been the most vocal Republican among Republicans against Mr. Hegseth's choices related to the sexual assault allegations.
“Given that we have a problem with sexual assault within the military, this is a pretty big problem,” he told reporters Thursday.
But he declined to say whether the new details of the charges released in the 22-page police report would affect his vote.
“You know, this is why there are background checks. This is why there are hearings. So it has to go through a review. I'm not going to prejudge him, but certainly, this is pretty alarming.” It's a legitimate accusation,” Kramer said.
Maine State Senator Susan Collins
Collins, who along with fellow moderate Murkowski has been a thorn in Trump's side, has not publicly criticized Hegseth, instead insisting that his confirmation proceed through the Senate.
When asked about Hegseth's charges this week, Collins said: “Obviously there's going to be a full background investigation, a Senate committee investigation, a hearing. That's standard.”
But Collins was among the Republican senators who opposed Gaetz's nomination, ultimately costing him his chance.
Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell
It will be interesting to see how McConnell, the current Senate Minority Leader, votes on President Trump's more controversial Cabinet nominees, including Hegseth.
The nearly 83-year-old is the longest-serving Senate Republican leader in history and has often clashed with Trump over his differing views on defense and foreign policy outlooks. Mr. McConnell believes in America's strength abroad and international alliances, while Mr. Trump supports populist and isolationist positions.
Additionally, McConnell has said he will focus on foreign policy and defense in his final two years, and on Thursday announced that he will chair the Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee next year. With this new role in mind, he is likely to become more critical of President Trump's choices to lead the Pentagon.
It's unclear whether he will seek re-election in 2026, but not running for another six years will give him room to make a decision without the threat of midterm elections weighing on his mind.
The Kentucky Republican has so far remained largely silent about President Trump's cabinet appointments, saying only that the Senate needs to conduct a proper investigation.
“Each of these nominees needs to come to the Senate and be vetted through the process,” McConnell said Wednesday at the American Enterprise Institute's annual gala.
Utah State Senator-elect John Curtis
Mr. Curtis, a wild card candidate in the process, is a former Democratic congressman who has not commented on Mr. Hegseth's pending nomination, but the Senate, not the incoming administration, has the power to approve or reject Mr. Trump's Cabinet nominees. It clearly states that it should be.
Mr. Curtis was reportedly one of four senators who opposed Mr. Gaetz's nomination, avoiding Senate confirmation of his own nominee and instead using a recess appointment. He opposes Mr. Trump's idea of making a quick appointment.
“Senator-elect Curtis believes that all presidents are entitled to a degree of respect in selecting and nominating their teams,” said Corey Norman, Curtis' chief of staff. KSL TV Thursday. “He also strongly believes in, and is fully committed to, the Senate’s important role in approving or rejecting nominations based on information and insight from confirmation hearings.”
