Pete Hegseth cleared a procedural hurdle Thursday for a final Senate vote to advance his confirmation to lead the Department of Defense, setting up a high-stakes showdown.
Hegseth’s nomination was dealt another hurdle this week when reports emerged that his ex-sister-in-law alleged that Hegseth had abused his second wife.
Two sources told CNN Hegseth’s ex-wife, Samantha Hegseth, gave a statement to the FBI about Hegseth’s alleged alcohol use.
The outlet said one of the sources said Samantha Hegseth told the FBI, “He drinks more often than he doesn’t.”
Samantha Hegseth has also denied any physical abuse in a statement to NBC News.
A high-stakes battle was set up when Pete Hegseth overcame a procedural obstacle Thursday to advance his confirmation as head of the Department of Defense in a final Senate vote.
A motion to start a 30-hour debate, or invoke cloture, was approved 51-49. Senate Republicans. Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, voted against moving forward with Hegseth’s confirmation. McConnell, R-Ky. Mitch. voted in favor.
This week, reports surfaced that Hegseth’s ex-sister-in-law claimed that Hegseth had mistreated his second wife, which presented another obstacle to his nomination.
Samantha Hegseth, Hegseth’s ex-wife, reportedly told the FBI about Hegseth’s alleged alcohol consumption, according to two sources who spoke to CNN. He drinks more often than he doesn’t,” Samantha Hegseth told the FBI, according to one of the sources cited by the outlet. “,”.
An affidavit from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, was obtained by Fox News on Tuesday. It claims that Hegseth has a problem with alcohol abuse and has occasionally caused his ex-wife, Samantha, to worry about her safety. Danielle Hegseth, who is unrelated to Samantha, was previously married to Pete Hegseth’s brother.
The key senatorial chairman opposes Hegesth’s nomination and criticizes “anonymous sources with ulterior motives.”.
Danielle Hegseth clarified, however, that she had never personally seen Pete mistreat Samantha in any way, including sexually.
In an interview with NBC News, Samantha Hegseth denied any physical abuse as well.
In a statement Wednesday evening, Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker stated that he supports Hegseth’s nomination and that reports “regarding a confidential briefing on the FBI background investigation of Pete Hegseth that I received last week are starkly and factually inaccurate.”.
“It is alarming that a delicate, established procedure utilized by committee leadership to screen presidential candidates is being contested in the media by unidentified sources with hidden agendas,” Wicker stated, adding that he has received three briefings from the FBI regarding a background investigation into Hegseth.
The new information followed a series of reports that were detrimental to Hegseth’s reputation, such as a sexual assault accusation that he disputes and reports about his alleged drinking habits and financial mismanagement. Hegseth has stated that if verified, he would not drink.
One of the most intense confirmation battles for any Trump Cabinet nominee is anticipated to be faced by Hegseth. Inquiries about his personal character and his opposition to female-specific standards for women in combat were the main focus of his confirmation hearing, while policy questions were less prevalent.
An attorney from Hegesth criticizes the ex-sister-in-law’s “flawed and questionable affidavit.”.
Earlier on Thursday, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N, is the minority leader. Y. called on Republicans to stand with him in their opposition to the former national guardsman and Fox News host.
Schumer declared, “Hegseth is so completely devoid of qualifications, he ranks up there [as] … one of the very worst nominees that could be put forth.”.
“People’s lives depend on it—both civilians and, of course, the men and women in the armed forces. Pete Hegseth has demonstrated that he is not only unable to manage a sizable organization, but also frequently fails to show up or show up in a way that allows him to accomplish anything.”. I’m hoping we can win over our Republican colleagues because he is so unconventional and unfit for DOD. This afternoon, a vote will be held. “..”.
Hegseth, who has three marriages under his belt, has acknowledged that he was a “serial cheater” prior to converting to Christianity and getting married to Jenny.
Comparatively speaking to previous defense secretaries, the 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran, who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, is youthful and inexperienced. He retired as a major. Republicans, on the other hand, claim they don’t want someone who rose to the top and established themselves in the Pentagon.
The Pentagon’s “woke” programs that support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have been explicitly targeted by Hegseth. After initially stating that he was against women fighting, he later clarified that his opposition was limited to standards that differed for women and men in combat.
On the “Shawn Ryan Show” podcast, Hegseth stated, “I’m just stating that we shouldn’t have women in combat roles.”. It hasn’t increased our effectiveness or lethality; instead, it has complicated combat. “..”.
He was successful in persuading Trump to pardon three military personnel who had been found guilty or charged with war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2019.
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It’s possible that Trump anticipated avoiding the headache this position gave him during his first term in office. Mark Esper and Jim Mattis were the only ones who survived for more than a year. Three other people performed. Hegseth is inclined to support Trump’s objectives for the department.