Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) expressed his desire for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s nominee for Defense Secretary, to refrain from drinking, citing reports of Hegseth’s excessive alcohol use in the past.
On Sunday, The New Yorker reported that Hegseth had to resign from two nonprofit organizations he led due to financial mismanagement, sexual misconduct, and alcohol issues. Additionally, NBC News revealed on Tuesday that Hegseth’s drinking had raised concerns among his colleagues at Fox News, where he hosted a weekend program until recently.
Hegseth defends his nomination, calling allegations a politically motivated smear
Cramer shared his thoughts during a CNN interview on Wednesday, stating, “One of the things I’d love to hear is that he’s committed to not drinking. Being familiar with the problems of alcoholism and the dumb things we do when we drink too much, it’d be really nice if he could set that one aside for good, if not at least through his term as secretary.”
Cramer’s remarks come despite Hegseth’s challenging path toward Senate confirmation for the Defense Secretary position. On Tuesday, Hegseth was scheduled to meet with Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.). It would only take four Republican senators joining the Democrats to block his nomination.
Hegseth has also faced scrutiny from recent allegations, including claims of sexual assault related to an encounter he describes as consensual, and controversial statements regarding women’s roles in combat within the military. A New York Times article from last week revealed that Hegseth’s mother sent him an email in 2018 accusing him of “routinely mistreating women for years” and lacking character.
Despite the ongoing criticism, Hegseth has asserted that he will not yield to the pressure. He shared a military photo on the social media platform X, implying that he is the target of a smear campaign orchestrated by Democrats.
“I’m doing this for the warfighters, not the warmongers. The Left is afraid of disrupters and change agents. They are afraid of @realDonaldTrump—and me,” he wrote. Hegseth added, “So they smear w/ fake, anonymous sources & BS stories. They don’t want truth. Our warriors never back down, & neither will I.”
