Washington (AP) As he worked to secure enough votes for confirmation, Pete Hegseth, the president-elect Donald Trump’s choice to head the Defense Department, claimed he had a great talk with Senator Susan Collins of Maine on Wednesday. In response to accusations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct, he said that he would not back down.
Following the one-hour meeting, Collins claimed that she asked Hegseth about the accusations in light of drinking reports and the disclosure that he had paid a settlement after being accused of sexual assault, which he denies. She claimed that she and Hegseth had a fruitful, in-depth conversation that touched on a variety of subjects, such as NATO, Ukraine, and sexual assault in the military. However, she stated that she would not make a decision until after a hearing and, most importantly, a background investigation.
As she walked out of her office following the meeting, Collins told reporters, “I asked almost every question in the world.” I don’t believe we missed anything because I questioned him about the accusations against him as well as his stance on military matters.
Collins is thought to be more inclined than the majority of her Republican Senate colleagues to vote against some of Trump’s Cabinet nominees, so the meeting with her was widely observed. She occasionally backed President Joe Biden’s choices for the executive and judicial branches, and she and fellow moderate Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska did not hesitate to oppose Trump throughout his first term.
Additionally, Hegseth, a former Fox & Friends weekend anchor and infantry war veteran, is trying to garner as many votes as he can because some senators have voiced reservations about his personal background and lack of managerial expertise.
As he walked out of Collins’ office, Hegseth declared, “I’m definitely not going to assume anything about where the senator stands.” We appreciate this procedure and respect it. And we hope to gain her support when we eventually make it through that committee and into the floor.
On Tuesday, Hegseth met with Murkowski. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a military veteran who has claimed to be a victim of sexual assault and has worked in the Senate to improve the reporting and prosecution of attacks inside the ranks, has also been meeting with him on a regular basis. Following a meeting with him on Monday, Ernst stated that he had promised to appoint a senior official to give those objectives top priority.
Trump cannot lose more than three votes on any of his choices since Republicans will have a 53-49 majority the following year. Trump has increased his pressure on senators in the past week, but it is still uncertain if Hegseth will have enough support.
There is nothing that can change the fact that Pete is a winner! Last week, Trump made a post on his social media accounts.
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