Donald Trump's nomination of Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department is facing uncertainty, as key Republican senators raise concerns about his qualifications for the role.
The president-elect is reportedly considering Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a potential replacement for Hegseth. While no Republican senators have explicitly opposed Hegseth, even close Trump allies like Sen. Lindsey Graham have expressed doubts about his ability to secure confirmation.
"He obviously has a chance to defend himself here. But some of this stuff is – it's going to be difficult," Graham said on Tuesday. Hegseth is facing intense scrutiny over multiple misconduct allegations, including a 2017 sexual assault claim, which he has denied. No charges were filed in connection with the allegation.
"He has not been forthright with the Transition team staff and the president-elect and vice president-elect," a senior Trump transition source told CNN.
On Wednesday, Hegseth is scheduled to meet with Sen. Joni Ernst, whose opinion is expected to carry significant weight in his confirmation.
Hegseth is scheduled to meet with Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa and military veteran, whose opinion is expected to carry significant weight.
Privately, some Republican lawmakers have begun exploring potential alternatives, with Ernst herself being mentioned as a possible candidate, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Other Trump allies are floating Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty for the role.
Key Senate Republicans have recently emphasized that Pete Hegseth must undergo an FBI background check and a confirmation hearing before they can commit to supporting his nomination. These comments coincided with the Trump transition team announcing on Tuesday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Justice Department, paving the way for formal government vetting.
However, it remains uncertain how many of Trump's nominees for various positions will be submitted to the FBI for background checks.
"As I've repeatedly said to you, I believe that we need an FBI background check to evaluate the allegations," Collins told CNN on Tuesday.
While many GOP senators have stated they haven't directly addressed the allegations with Hegseth in private conversations, frustration is reportedly growing among other senators and senior aides over the steady stream of negative media attention surrounding his nomination.
Given the Senate's narrow margins in the upcoming session, attention will likely center on more moderate and establishment GOP lawmakers, including Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, along with incoming Sen. John Curtis of Utah.
