The upcoming hearings to appoint Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host, as secretary of Defense are likely to be contentious, according to former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), who highlighted the importance of sexual assault allegations against the nominee.
Kinzinger noted during an appearance on CNN that the military has long struggled with issues surrounding sexual assault, and now the person accused of such behavior could be put in charge of the Pentagon. “The hearings are going to be pretty brutal for him, and we’ll see what comes out of that,” he said.
Trump loyalists may push Hegseth’s nomination despite allegations
In 2017, Hegseth was accused of sexual assault, a claim he firmly denied. Kinzinger suggested that additional details about the accusations could emerge during the confirmation process. However, with Trump’s influence over the GOP, Hegseth’s chances of approval might still be strong.
“The vast majority of Republicans will do whatever Donald Trump wants, and he wants Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense,” Kinzinger remarked. “There will likely be some senators who take a critical look at this. Right now, I’d say it’s about a 50/50 chance he gets approved.”
With Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) withdrawing from consideration for attorney general, attention has shifted toward Hegseth’s nomination. As a vocal critic of Trump, Kinzinger has been a key figure in the Republican Party opposing the former president, even endorsing Vice President Harris in the last election.
