Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, was back on Capitol Hill on Thursday to meet with Republican lawmakers as misconduct allegations continued to cloud his selection to lead the Pentagon.
Behind the scenes, Trump’s political team was focused on figuring out where female Republican senators stand on Hegseth, according to two people involved in the conversations. Trump’s advisers are fully aware that with such a thin GOP Senate majority, Hegseth’s fate could all come down to the women in the conference.
But Trump himself has not been working the phones for Hegseth — as he did for Matt Gaetz, his original pick for attorney general who withdrew his name from consideration amid sexual assault allegations.
ABC News was told Trump has expressed to those close to him that Hegseth should have been more honest and forthcoming about the challenges he could face getting through the confirmation process given his history.
Still, Hegseth insisted he had the president’s support.
“He is behind us all the way. I spoke to him this morning,” Hegseth told ABC News’ Jay O’Brien.
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be defense secretary, responds to reporters during a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 5, 2024.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
There are nine Republican women serving in the Senate. Only one, so far, has thrown their weight behind Hegseth when pressed by ABC News on where they stand.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., was publicly supportive of Hegseth on Fox News. She called him a “perfect fit to come in and reorganize” the Department of Defense.
The rest have reservations or are holding off on offering a formal stance until they learn more about the nominee. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said she was “undecided.” Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., only said she had a “good conversation” with him this week and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she was “obviously” concerned about some of the allegations against him.
Sen. Joni Ernst, a key Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee that will hold his confirmation hearings, notably declined to voice support for Hegseth after meeting with him on Wednesday and then again on Thursday on Fox News, which Trump is known to watch.
Ernst told Fox News host Bill Hemmer she had a “very frank” and “productive” discussion with Hegseth. When pressed by Hemmer that that didn’t sound as if she had gotten to a yes on his confirmation, she replied, “I think you are right.”
The Iowa Republican is the first female combat veteran to serve in the Senate and a sexual assault survivor herself. Hegseth has faced allegations of sexual assault (which he’s denied) and previously said that women should not serve in ground combat roles in the military.
Ernst is said to be on a list of possible candidates to replace Hegseth, ABC News previously reported.
Hegseth has told senators his mother has been making calls to senators on his behalf, according to sources familiar with the matter. He has also told senators he is open to a background check, according to multiple sources.
Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth meets with Senator-elect Jim Banks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 5, 2024.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
During Wednesday’s meetings with GOP senators, Hegseth promised some he would not drink alcohol if confirmed.
“The allegation was made about him being intoxicated at several times and so the questions that every member will be asking him led to his statement,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, current ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and expected to take over the chairmanship in January — presiding over Hegseth’s confirmation hearings.
Hegseth on Thursday sat down with Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Jim Banks of Indiana, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.
Hegseth stopped to answer reporter questions in the hallway as he appeared to wrap up meetings for the day.
“I am a different man than I was years ago and that’s a redemption story that I think a lot of Americans appreciate,” Hegseth said. He said he thinks veterans appreciate that as well.
Hegseth said he’s faced policy and personal questions from senators over the past four days.
“The conversations have been robust, candid at times. There’s great questions on policy, personality, everything, so we are going to earn those votes, fighting all the way through the tape,” Hegseth said.
He continued, “I am grateful to have the president’s support, because his vision for this department of defense is to bring it back to its core capacity of deterring our enemies and, if necessary, defeating those enemies. And that means ultimately putting war-fighting at the middle of what the Pentagon does, no more social justice, politically correct approaches to how we fight and conduct wars.”
ABC News’ Lauren Peller contributed to this report.