FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, formally endorsed Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Protection on Tuesday evening, regardless of expressing some preliminary uncertainty following their first assembly.
“After 4 years of weak spot within the White Home, People deserve a powerful Secretary of Protection,” Ernst instructed Fox Information Digital in an unique assertion.
Ernst formally introduced her help of Hegseth on Tuesday. (Picture by Samuel Corum/Getty Pictures)
“Our subsequent commander in chief chosen Pete Hegseth to serve on this position, and after our conversations, listening to from Iowans, and doing my job as a United States Senator, I’ll help President Trump’s choose for Secretary of Protection. As I serve on the Armed Providers Committee, I’ll work with Pete to create probably the most deadly preventing power and maintain him to his commitments of auditing the Pentagon, guaranteeing alternative for ladies in fight whereas sustaining excessive requirements, and deciding on a senior official to handle and forestall sexual assault within the ranks.”
President-elect Trump’s choose to guide the Division of Protection (DOD) went earlier than the Senate Armed Providers Committee on Tuesday morning, the place he confronted questions from each Democratic and Republican members.
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WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 14: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth testifies throughout his Senate Armed Providers affirmation listening to on Capitol Hill on January 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. ( (Picture by Andrew Harnik/Getty Pictures))
In the course of the listening to, Ernst pressed Trump’s DOD selection on girls in fight, sexual assault within the army and auditing the division.
Ernst, a survivor of sexual assault herself, mentioned, “A precedence of mine has been combating sexual assault within the army and ensuring that every one of our service members are handled with dignity and respect. This has been so necessary. Senator Gillibrand and I’ve labored on this, and we had been capable of get modifications made to the uniform code of army justice to guarantee that we’ve got enhancements, and on how we tackle the tragic and life altering, problems with rape, sexual assault. It can demand time and a spotlight from the Pentagon below your watch, if you’re confirmed.”
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Ernst was initially unsure on Hegseth’s affirmation. (Getty Pictures)
“So, as secretary of Protection, will you appoint a senior stage official devoted to sexual assault prevention and response?” she requested Hegseth.
Trump’s DOD selection instructed the senator that he would agree to take action.
Ernst had beforehand expressed uncertainty about her help for Hegseth, agreeing with Fox Information anchor Invoice Hemmer when he prompt she wasn’t fairly able to say sure to his affirmation. “I believe you’re proper,” she mentioned on “America’s Newsroom.”
The senator’s help is a welcome growth for Hegseth as a result of, with the intention to be confirmed, its anticipated he’ll want almost each Republican to again him, with room to lose solely two of their votes. That is assuming that no Democratic senators select to again him, during which case, he would have extra flexibility with Republicans.
Secretary of Protection nominee Pete Hegseth, left, and President-Elect Donald Trump, proper (Getty)
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Hegseth took quite a few pointed questions from Democrats, together with a number of criticisms. The senators prodded him over allegations concerning alcohol consumption, sexual assault and monetary mismanagement.
He has denied every of the allegations. Nonetheless, Democratic senators emerged from the listening to unconvinced by Hegseth.
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