Pete Hegseth was nominated by Donald Trump to lead the Pentagon on Monday, following reports that he was twice ousted from previous organizations he led over financial mismanagement and misconduct. Questions lingered about him, and reporters asked him directly if he had an alcohol problem.
Mr Hegseth, 44, who was visiting Parliament House to drum up support for his floundering nomination, did not answer when a journalist asked him: “Do you have an alcohol problem?” He had just arrived for a meeting with Republican senators.
Later, another reporter from CBS poked fun at him in the hallway and asked, “Have you ever gotten drunk while traveling for work?”
Hegseth, who most recently served as a Fox News host, responded, “I’m not going to dignify it with a response,” adding, “I’ve talked to all the senators and I look forward to their discussions.” added.
The New Yorker recently reported on a whistleblower complaint that said Hegseth was forced out of leadership roles at two veterans organizations following allegations of financial mismanagement, active drinking, and sexist behavior.
The revelation gives Hegseth the support of Republican senators during his confirmation hearing, following previous revelations that California police were investigating a sexual assault allegation against him in 2017. The possibilities became even more complex. The investigation did not result in criminal charges, and Hegseth later reached a financial settlement. The woman who filed the complaint.
The magazine reported that Hegseth was “completely drunk” at a Memorial Day event in Virginia Beach in 2014 and had to be carried to a room, and on another occasion in Louisiana. It was reported that he had to be stopped from joining female dancers on stage at a strip club. .
A witness said he shouted “kill all Muslims, kill all Muslims” at a bar in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, in 2015. The episode was the subject of a written complaint to Concern for American Veterans (CVA), a group backed by Koch. Hegseth was chief executive officer at the time.
Mr Hegseth is also said to have financially ruined another veterans group, Vets for Freedom, during his time as chief executive.
Mr Hegseth’s lawyer dismissed the charges. CBS cited a source close to Hegseth as saying the allegations were false, but added that Hegseth had admitted to “drinking too much” in the past.
“Pete doesn’t live that life right now. He’s definitely grown a lot over the last 10 years,” a source told CBS.
Mr. Hegseth appears to have found support among right-wing Republicans who met with his wife, Jennifer Roche, on Monday. Florida Sen. Rick Scott said Hegseth, a military veteran with no Pentagon management experience, is “clearly committed to building a lethal force that will intimidate our adversaries.” Ta.
“A year from now, under Secretary Hegseth, military recruitment numbers will skyrocket,” added Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, accusing Democrats of trying to make the nomination a “showpiece.” The real threat, however, may come from Republicans, some of whom say Mr. Hegseth plans to make further visits to the Capitol this week and meet with any of them.
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Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, stopped short of endorsing Hegseth, The Washington Post reported.
“I know there’s a lot of information out there,” she said. “I want the best for the president, right? I want the best for the president, and he deserves a candidate who will work for the president and do the best that this country needs. ”
Mississippi’s Roger Wicker, who chairs the new Senate committee that will be sworn in on January 3, is pushing candidates to submit to standard FBI background checks, but the Trump transition team is refusing to do so. is resisting.
He told reporters that an agreement on the checks could be reached “within the next few days,” which could pose a challenge for Hegseth.
“I think there will be an FBI background check,” Wicker told Politico.
“My hope is that we will respect the precedent set since the Eisenhower administration and be informed by the agencies that conduct background checks.”
