Trump’s pick for the Pentagon to make case to GOP senators

Trump’s pick for the Pentagon to make case to GOP senators

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, is meeting with senators on Capitol Hill on Thursday after police records revealed new details about a sexual assault allegation against him. Vice President-elect JD Vance is accompanying Hegseth. Trump continued rolling out his selections for his administration, including former acting attorney general Matthew G. Whitaker as U.S. ambassador to NATO on Wednesday.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the incoming Senate Majority Whip, met with Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Defense Department, Pete Hegseth, on Thursday.

Barrasso called Hegseth a “strong nominee” in a statement released after the meeting and added that Trump’s pick “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration’s woke political agenda.”

Meanwhile, fallout continues for former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s choice to serve as attorney general. The House Ethics Committee was investigating Gaetz for alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. Calls are growing for the panel to release its report on Gaetz, who resigned from the House last week.

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick for top intel role, draws scrutiny over Russia comments

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the director of national intelligence, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, has little experience working with the nation’s spy agencies and a long track record of echoing the Russian disinformation they work to expose and to counter — a combination her critics claim should be disqualifying.

Gabbard, who represented Hawaii as a Democrat from 2013-2021 and ran for the party’s presidential nomination in 2020 before becoming a Republican earlier this year, has been accused of harboring sympathies for the Kremlin and parroting propaganda generated by Russia to justify its invasion of Ukraine.

Barrasso also noted that “national security nominations have a history of quick confirmations in the Senate. I look forward to Pete’s hearing and a vote on the floor in January.”

GOP Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee also met with Hegseth and Vice President-elect JD Vance. Speaking after the meeting, Hagerty dismissed 2017 sexual assault allegations against the would-be defense secretary. Hegseth denies the assault.

“It’s a case that’s been dismissed,” Hagerty said. “This is just dredging up something to try and smear and discredit a candidate.”

Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, the ranking Republican on Senate Armed Services committee, also met with Hegseth, saying afterward that he thinks Trump’s Defense secretary pick will be in “good shape” for confirmation hearings. He said he didn’t discuss specifics of the assault case with Hegseth.

Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt said earlier Thursday he was “excited about the opportunity” to meet later today with Vance and Hegseth on Capitol Hill and, “We need outsiders.”