The US president is standing by his choice for secretary of defense despite scandal and allegations of misconduct.
Election of the President of the United States Donald Trump has shown support for Pete Hegseth, his pick for Pentagon chief, whose nomination is in jeopardy amid scandals and concerns about his lack of experience.
Trump said Friday he has no plans to withdraw named Hegsethpraises the combat veteran and former Fox News host. As Trump's choice for defense secretary, Hegseth, like another key cabinet pick, must be confirmed by the incoming Senate.
“Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more than the Fake News would have you believe. He was a good student – Princeton/Harvard educated – with a military mindset,” Trump wrote in social media. mail.
“He will be an outstanding Defense Secretary, full of energy, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a winner, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!”
Hegseth – an Iranian falcon – has been the subject of controversy since Trump announced it last month. He still faces allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking, which he has denied.
Some US media reported this week that Trump was considering alternatives to Hegseth.
Scandals have already brought down another Trump cabinet pick: a former congressman Matt Gatzwithdrew his nomination as Attorney General last month amid allegations of sexual impropriety.
The appointment of Hegseth, a staunch supporter of Israel, as the Pentagon's top civilian authority, overseeing the world's most powerful military with an annual budget of $850bn, raised eyebrows early on.
While Hegseth previously led the advocacy group Concerned Veterans for America, he has no executive-level national security experience.
On Friday, Hegseth expressed gratitude for Trump's support. “Thank you Mr. President. Like you, we will never back down,” he wrote on social media mail.
Incoming Vice President JD Vance also gave Hegseth a nod. “With President Trump's leadership, we are fighting for Pete Hegseth. And we're doing that because Pete Hegseth will fight for our troops,” Vance said in a mail on X.
Hegseth has been meeting with senators on Capitol Hill this week to address their concerns and reiterated his denials of allegations of misconduct.
Leading Republican Senator Joni Ernst suggested in an interview with Fox News that she is not yet ready to confirm Hegseth after meeting with him this week.
Last week, The New Yorker magazine published a damning report on Hegseth's controversies. He cited complaints from Concerned Veterans for America staff, one of which said Hegseth sang “Kill all Muslims” at a bar in Ohio in 2015.
The allegations prompted the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) to ask senators to decline the naming Hegseth.
“Based on his current views and past actions, it is clear that Mr. Hegseth is completely inappropriate as a nominee for secretary of defense,” said CAIR's executive director, Nihad Awad, in statement.
“Anyone who would ask – even in a drunken state – wants to kill every member of a religion has disqualified himself from holding an important position that would inevitably interact with representatives from Muslim-majority countries.”
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