Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News personality whom President-elect Donald Trump nominated to be his defense secretary, has continued his courtship of GOP senators who hold the keys to his future — while seeking to retain the support of the man who appointed him. It's a sign of stubborn resilience from a nominee whose prospects looked shaky after the New Yorker opened up a flood of stories about his apparent drunkenness, sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement, including a scathing letter from his own mother calling him an abuser of women.
“We’re going to earn those votes,” Hegseth told reporters Thursday afternoon. “We’re fighting all the way through the tape.”
With his wife accompanying him, Hegseth has been meeting senators, answering their questions about his personal life and assuring them that he would submit to an FBI background check and mount a strong defense during the confirmation hearings, The Washington Post reported. He and his allies have pushed back aggressively against the drinking and sex allegations, while trying to cast his own personal story of redemption.
"We’ve had great conversations about who I am and what I believe and frankly who I am today because of my faith in my Lord and savior Jesus Christ and my incredible wife, Jenny, right here," he said, gesturing to his wife.
It's as much an effort to build confidence with senators as it is a show of strength to Trump, according to one Republican close to the president-elect who told the Post that continuing to fight is the "only thing that’s going to save him" in Trump's eyes. As a sign that Hegseth may still have the president-elect's confidence, Trump posted a defense of his embattled nominee on Thursday, writing on Truth Social that Hegseth's "support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe."
"He was a great student - Princeton/Harvard educated - with a Military state of mind," Trump continued. "He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!"
"Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade appeared bullish on Hegseth's chances Thursday morning, claiming that, after talking to a Trump official the previous night, "Pete's looking pretty good ... yeah, Pete has made huge progress yesterday as Secretary of Defense.” Fox News host Ainsley Earhardt added that she "knew" Hegseth is a "changed man."
Nonetheless, Hegseth still does not appear to yet have the 50 votes he needs to advance, with several GOP senators still expressing reservations about his appointment. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a member of the Armed Services Committee who had a "frank and thorough" conversation with him on Wednesday, suggested on Fox News' "America's Newsroom" that she's not yet ready to vote yes.
“A number of our senators, they want to make sure that any allegations have been cleared and that's why we have to have a very thorough vetting process,” she said.
Several other GOP senators told the Post they have not yet been lobbied by Hegseth or Trump, and officials close to the president-elect say that Trump will not make personal appeals on his behalf. Another ominous sign for Hegseth: Trump has reportedly weighed replacing Hegseth with someone else, such as his former rival from Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis. But many allies of Trump are still suspicious of DeSantis after the Florida governor repeatedly criticized the president-elect during the 2024 GOP primary.
Hegseth can afford to lose four votes in the Senate, which the GOP will control 53-47 in the next Congress. As of Friday, aides to Trump were telling The Guardian that, at least by their count, Hegseth was still on track to be confirmed.