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NYT: Trump Considers DeSantis for Defense Secretary as His Support for Hegseth Falters (Gift article)
NYT - Trump Considers DeSantis for Defense Secretary as His Support for Hegseth Falters
President-elect Donald J. Trump is weighing his options, even as Pete Hegseth meets with senators to muster support. Accusations of past misconduct have threatened his nomination from the start.
By Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan and Michael D. Shear
Dec. 4, 2024
Updated 12:33 p.m. ET
President-elect Donald J. Trump’s support for Pete Hegseth, whom he announced as his pick for defense secretary shortly after Election Day, is wobbling after a crush of controversy over a rape allegation and a 2018 email from Mr. Hegseth’s mother accusing him of a pattern of abuse toward women.
Penelope Hegseth, who said in the email that her son “belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around,” told a Fox News interviewer on Wednesday that she regretted sending the email and that Mr. Hegseth was no longer the person she lashed out at six years ago.
“Pete is a new person,” Mrs. Hegseth said in an appearance on “Fox & Friends.” She urged senators who will consider his nomination to listen to him now. “He’s redeemed, forgiven, changed.”
Her appearance was greeted with optimism by people in Mr. Trump’s orbit, who have told associates they believe it could help minimize some of the concerns about the swirl of allegations about sexual misconduct, drinking and financial mismanagement. They have also been encouraged by a burst of expressions of support for Mr. Hegseth from conservative activists on social media.
But Mr. Hegseth faces a series of tests on Wednesday that will be critical for his chances. He is set to continue his meetings with key senators, including Joni Ernst of Iowa, a combat veteran who has spoken about being sexually assaulted herself. He is also set to start defending himself on television.
“I spoke to the president-elect this morning. He said keep going, keep fighting,” Mr. Hegseth told reporters as he arrived on Capitol Hill.
/snip
President-elect Donald J. Trump is weighing his options, even as Pete Hegseth meets with senators to muster support. Accusations of past misconduct have threatened his nomination from the start.
By Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan and Michael D. Shear
Dec. 4, 2024
Updated 12:33 p.m. ET
President-elect Donald J. Trump’s support for Pete Hegseth, whom he announced as his pick for defense secretary shortly after Election Day, is wobbling after a crush of controversy over a rape allegation and a 2018 email from Mr. Hegseth’s mother accusing him of a pattern of abuse toward women.
Penelope Hegseth, who said in the email that her son “belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around,” told a Fox News interviewer on Wednesday that she regretted sending the email and that Mr. Hegseth was no longer the person she lashed out at six years ago.
“Pete is a new person,” Mrs. Hegseth said in an appearance on “Fox & Friends.” She urged senators who will consider his nomination to listen to him now. “He’s redeemed, forgiven, changed.”
Her appearance was greeted with optimism by people in Mr. Trump’s orbit, who have told associates they believe it could help minimize some of the concerns about the swirl of allegations about sexual misconduct, drinking and financial mismanagement. They have also been encouraged by a burst of expressions of support for Mr. Hegseth from conservative activists on social media.
But Mr. Hegseth faces a series of tests on Wednesday that will be critical for his chances. He is set to continue his meetings with key senators, including Joni Ernst of Iowa, a combat veteran who has spoken about being sexually assaulted herself. He is also set to start defending himself on television.
“I spoke to the president-elect this morning. He said keep going, keep fighting,” Mr. Hegseth told reporters as he arrived on Capitol Hill.
/snip
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