Pete Hegseth, US President-elect Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, addressed and discussed the allegations. Confirmation attempts on Thursday. Hegseth faces allegations of alcoholism and sexual misconduct, which he denies, as reported by Fox News.
Hegseth described the meetings with senators as “great conversations about who I am and what I believe.” He said his faith and family had changed him: “And frankly, the man I am today, in my lord and savior. Because of my faith. Jesus Christ and my wife Jenny right here, I’m a different man than I was years ago.” He added, “And it’s a redemption story that I think a lot of Americans appreciate.”
Hegseth related his experiences to veterans, saying, “You fight, you go through tough situations in tough places on behalf of your country. And sometimes it changes you a little bit.”
Leaked emails from his mother, Penelope Hegseth, criticize his past relationships. She appeared in a “Fox & Friends” interview to clarify, saying she wrote the email after her divorce and apologized hours later. She also said that she did not believe the allegations against her.
Hegseth described his conversations with senators as “robust, frank at times with great questions about policy and personality”. He said, “So we will earn those votes. We are fighting all the way through the tape. I am grateful for the President’s support, as his vision for this Department of Defense is to return it to its original ability to deter and, if necessary, defeat our adversaries.
He explained that the President’s focus is on strengthening and improving the Defense Department’s ability to manage threats, ensuring that it can protect the country and win if conflicts do arise.
Reports suggest that Trump may consider Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for the position over Hegseth because of the ongoing allegations. “As long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight, I’m going to be standing here in this fight, fighting to get our Pentagon back to what it needs to be,” Hegseth replied. He said he voted for Trump, God, his family and senators on his confirmation, not the media.
During an interview with Megyn Kelly, Hegseth denied having a drinking problem. “First of all, I’ve never had a drinking problem,” Hegseth said. “No one has ever approached me and said, ‘You should really look into getting help for your drinking.’ “But you know, what boys do when they come back from war over and over again? Have some beer. How will you deal with the monsters you see on the battlefield? Sometimes it’s with a bottle,” he added.
In addition, Hegseth said he plans to quit drinking if he takes on the Pentagon role. “This is the biggest deployment of my life, and I won’t have a drop of alcohol on my lips while I’m doing it,” he said.
