Donald Trump is backing his decision to pick Pete Hegseth as defense secretary despite sexual assault allegations and concerns about his drinking.
Hegseth was nominated to lead the Pentagon in the wake of Trump’s landslide victory in the presidential election last month, but voters have questioned the decision following the slew of claims about the former Fox News host’s personal life.
But in a surprising admission, Trump acknowledged that he was aware of the drama that has surrounded Hegseth since he was proposed for the role, but seemed unfazed by the critics.
“It looks like Pete is doing well now,” Trump said NBC News. “I mean, people were a little concerned. He’s a young guy, with a great track record.
“He went to Princeton and went to Harvard. He was a good student in both. But he loves the military and I think people are starting to see it, so we’ll be working with a lot of others on his nomination.”
Although he is seen as a controversial choice in part because of his views, such as ruling that women should not serve in combat roles in the military, more Significant allegations have emerged over the past two weeks.
Among them are claims that he would routinely drink on the job, a woman accusing Hegseth of sexually assaulting her in October 2017, and a damning whistleblower report that says he was forced out of his leadership roles at two prominent nonprofits after serious allegations of financial mismanagement. sexist behavior and drunkenness at work.
The unrest only got worse when a New York Times report published a 2018 email in which Hegseth’s mother called her son a “woman abuser.”
Donald Trump expressed confidence in the choice of Pete Hegseth as his defense secretary, amid a long series of allegations about the former Fox News host’s personal life.
Hegseth finds himself on thin ice as reports of excessive alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct have cast doubt on his ability to run the Pentagon
Ten Fox News employees, both current and former, said his drinking was a concern for the station — with two of them noting how Hegseth smelled of alcohol before coming on air more than a dozen times.
But the president-elect denounced “fake news” and insisted the former Fox News host’s support is “strong and deep” as he battles to get the votes needed for his nomination.
In his NBC interview, Trump remained confident in Hegseth’s ability for the role.
‘He’s a very smart guy. I know him through Fox, but I’ve known him for a long time,” Trump said.
“And he’s actually a military man,” he added. “Every time I talk to him, all he wants to talk about is the military. He’s a soldier.’
The former president also noted that “a lot of senators are calling me and saying he’s great,” according to NBC News.
When Trump was asked if he was concerned about Hegseth’s struggle with alcohol — which Hegseth has since vowed to eliminate if the nomination is successful — his short answer was no.
“But I’ve talked to people who know him very well and they say he doesn’t have a drinking problem,” Trump responded.
Trump continued his support online, sharing on Truth Social on Friday night that he fully believes Hegseth is a “winner.”
‘Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more than the Fake News would have you believe,” he wrote.
In an interview that aired Sunday, Trump said, “It looks like Pete is doing well now. I mean, people were a little concerned. He’s a young guy, with a great track record. He went to Princeton and went to Harvard. He was a good student at both’
“He was a great student – educated at Princeton/Harvard – with a military mindset. He will be a fantastic, energetic Secretary of Defense, someone who leads with charisma and skill.
“Pete is a winner, and nothing can change that!!!”
A Trump transition spokesman also called the claims after Hegseth “completely baseless and false,” NBC News reported Tuesday.
Ten Fox News employees, both current and former, said his drinking was a concern for the station — with two of them noting how Hegseth smelled of alcohol before coming on air more than a dozen times.
About Hegseth’s drinking, Trump said: “I’ve talked to people who know him very well and they say he doesn’t have a drinking problem.”
In addition to claims that he was drunk on the job, a series of sexual harassment reports, imposed by Hegseth himself, have cast further doubt on his character.
The woman who accused Hegseth of raping her at the 2017 California Republican Women’s Conference reported the incident to police — though no charges were ever filed.
During an interview with Megyn Kelly on her show Wednesday, he noted that he thought he “had” to pay the woman because he was married and ready for a new job — and that he wanted the accusations to just go away.
The alleged attack occurred in the midst of the #MeToo movement, and Hegseth’s attorney said he feared losing his position at Fox News if the allegations became public. So he paid the woman as part of a non-disclosure agreement that was first reported by the Washington Post last month. .
“I paid her because I had to, or at least that’s what I thought at the time,” Hegseth says.
“She has lawyers who have contacted me and said, ‘If you don’t come forward, and if you don’t pay money, we’re ultimately going to arrest him.’ We were in the middle of a #MeToo movement. I had a great job at Fox and a wonderful marriage.”
He continued, “This is not what I should have done… I did it to protect my wife. I did it to protect my family, and I did it to protect my job, and it was a negotiation purely to avoid that.”
Hegseth also paid off a woman who accused him of raping her at the 2017 Republican Women’s Conference in California because he was happily married and ready for a new job.
The 44-year-old former Fox News host met with senators and the president-elect on Capitol Hill last week to convince them he is the right choice
The whistleblower report details a particularly egregious incident at a Louisiana strip club, in which it was alleged that Hegseth attempted to join dancers on stage and had to be physically restrained.
According to the report, his reckless behavior extended beyond public spaces, creating a workplace rife with sexism and inappropriateness.
It was reported that Trump was considering an eleventh-hour move to topple his controversial choice of friend-turned-rival, Ron DeSantis.
Multiple sources close to the Trump camp told The Wall Street Journal that DeSantis — who ran against Trump in the Republican primaries before dropping out — is the choice to replace Hegseth in his Cabinet.
But Hegseth, 44, has spent the past week meeting with senators and the president-elect on Capitol Hill to convince them he is the right choice.