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Trump is standing up for his choice for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, despite some Republican senators privately expressing doubts. Trump’s post is seen as a challenge to these senators to go against his decision and vote against Hegseth.
Written by Maggie Haberman
President-elect Donald J. Trump announced on social media that he strongly supports his pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. Trump expressed confidence in Hegseth’s abilities for the job, highlighting his military background and stating that he believes Hegseth will excel in the role.
Mr. Hegseth has been working hard for the past two days to maintain his position as Mr. Trump’s pick to head the Pentagon, despite increasing reports of concerning behavior such as rape, financial mismanagement, and drunkenness which he has refuted.
On Truth Social, Mr. Trump challenged Republican senators to go against his preferred candidate, Mr. Hegseth, despite some senators privately expressing reservations about him. The president-elect has not strongly backed Mr. Hegseth and has also mentioned other potential candidates like Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida for the position.
However, on Friday, Mr. Trump reaffirmed his initial decision in a public manner.
"Pete Hegseth is performing excellently and has strong, genuine support that surpasses what the Fake News portrays. He excelled as a student at Princeton and Harvard and has a military mindset. He will make an outstanding Secretary of Defense, leading with charisma and skill. Pete is a successful individual and cannot be changed from being a winner."
Numerous news articles have detailed concerning behavior exhibited by Mr. Hegseth. In 2017, a woman accused him of rape and he claimed it was consensual, eventually reaching a settlement with her that included a financial payment. The New York Times revealed that Mr. Hegseth’s mother sent him an email during a divorce in 2018, mentioning that he had mistreated multiple women over the years. NBC News reported on worries about his alcohol consumption, while The New Yorker documented allegations of mismanagement in organizations he once headed.
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