Pete Hegseth, US President-elect Trump’s pick for defense secretary, addressed allegations and discussed his confirmation efforts on Thursday. Hegseth faces accusations of drinking and sexual misconduct, which he denies, as reported by Fox News.
Hegseth described meetings with senators as “great conversations, about who I am and what I believe.” He said his faith and family have changed him: “And, frankly, the man I am today, because of my faith in my lord and savior Jesus Christ and my wife Jenny right here, I’m a different man than I was years ago.” He added, “And that’s a redemption story that I think a lot of Americans appreciate.”
Hegseth connected his experiences to veterans, saying, “You fight, you go through tough things in tough places on behalf of your country. And sometimes that changes you a little bit.”
A leaked email from his mother, Penelope Hegseth, criticised his past relationships. She appeared on “FOX and Friends” interview to clarify, saying she wrote the email after his divorce and apologised hours later. She also said she doesn’t believe the accusations against him.
Hegseth further described his conversations with senators as “robust, candid at times with great questions on policy and personality.” He said, “So we’re going to earn those votes. We’re fighting all the way through the tape. I’m grateful to have the president’s support, because his vision for this department of defence is to bring it back to its core capacity of deterring our enemies and, if necessary, defeating those enemies.”
He explained that the president’s focus is on strengthening and improving the department of defence’s ability to handle threats, ensuring it can protect the country and win if conflicts arise.
Reports indicate Trump may consider Florida governor Ron DeSantis for the position instead of Hegseth due to the ongoing allegations. Hegseth responded, “As long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight, I’m going to be standing right here in this fight, fighting to bring our Pentagon back to what it needs to be.” He said he answers to Trump, God, his family, and the senators voting 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’s ever approached me and said, ‘You should really look at getting help for drinking.'”But you know, what do guys do when they come back from war oftentimes? Have some beers. How do you deal with the demons you see on the battlefield? Sometimes it’s with a bottle,” he added.
Furthermore, Hegseth said that he plans to quit drinking if he takes on the Pentagon role. “This is the biggest deployment of my life, and there won’t be a drop of alcohol on my lips while I’m doing it,” he said.
