WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s embattled pick to lead the U.S. Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, met with a lukewarm response from some Senate Republicans on Wednesday over allegations about his personal and professional life.
Even as Hegseth made his case to Republican lawmakers whose support he’d need to be confirmed as defense secretary, Trump was considering alternates, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis emerging as an option, according to two sources familiar with internal deliberations.
Republican Representative Mike Waltz, whom Trump had previously tapped to be White House national security adviser, was another potential pick, a third source told Reuters. Another source said Republican Senator Joni Ernst could also be in the running for the job.
A former Fox News personality and former National Guard officer, Hegseth has faced a wave of allegations since Trump tapped him, including one of sexual assault, which he denied; media reports of public inebriation while working; and claims of financial mismanagement at prior jobs.
Ernst, a military veteran and sexual assault survivor, met Hegseth for 40 minutes in her office and gave no indication that her concerns about him were allayed.
“Today, as part of the confirmation process, we had a frank and thorough conversation,” she said without elaborating.
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski was tepid as well. “I have some very real concerns about some things that have come out recently and I want to ask him about that,” she said.
Republicans will have a 53-47 Senate majority, meaning that Hegseth could afford to lose the support of just three fellow Republicans and still be confirmed.
During a break between meetings with lawmakers, Hegseth told Megyn Kelly in an interview on her Sirius XM program, “I’ve never had a drinking problem” but would nonetheless not drink alcohol if confirmed as defense secretary. He said he spoke on Wednesday morning with Trump, who urged him to keep fighting.