Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s embattled choice to lead the Department of Defense, was defiant when questioned by reporters after meetings with senators on Thursday.
The former Fox News host has been dogged in recent days by a number of past allegations of sexual assault, heavy drinking, and financial mismanagement during his time running several veterans’ advocacy groups.
Speaking to reporters after another day of interviews with senators about his confirmation process, Hegseth insisted he had a “great week”—despite the allegations detailed in reports published by The New Yorker and NBC News, as well as and swirling rumors that Trump is considering replacing him.
“We don’t take anything for granted,” Hegseth told reporters on Capitol Hill. “The conversations have been robust, candid at times, with great questions on policy, personality, everything. So we’re going to earn those votes.”
“I’m not going to back down from them one bit. I will answer all of these senators’ questions. But this will not be a process tried in the media. I don’t answer to anyone in this group,” Hegseth said, gesturing to the reporters surrounding him. “None of you. Not to that camera at all. I answer to President Trump, who received 76 million votes… and a mandate for change. I answer to the 50… the 100 senators that are part of this process and those in the committee. And I answer to my lord and savior. And my wife and my family. I’m proud to be here. And as long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight, I’m going to be standing right here in this fight.”
Hegseth previously addressed some of the claims against him in an interview with Megyn Kelly on Wednesday, insisting “I was not fired. I was not pushed out” from the nonprofit veterans groups he ran prior to his career at Fox News.
Hegseth also denied he had a drinking problem, but still promised “I’m not going to have a drink at all” while serving as Secretary of Defense.
However, it’s unclear how Hegseth’s private meetings with the GOP senators are shaking out. Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a veteran who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, did not commit to supporting Hegseth’s nomination when she was asked about it directly.
Speaking on Fox News the day after her meeting with Hegseth, Ernst did agree with “America’s Newsroom” host Bill Hemmer that the vetting process for Hegseth will be pivotal for his nomination.
“I think for 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,” Ernst said.
