Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) took another critical step Monday towards voting to confirm Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.
Ernst and Hegseth met Monday afternoon in person for at least the second time since President-elect Donald Trump nominated him.
“Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas — and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks,” Ernst said after the meeting Fox News’ Chad Pergram reported. “As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.”
Ernst had emerged as the face of senatorial hesitance to back Hegseth. The junior senator from Iowa, who retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard, was rumored to desire the position herself.
After a groundswell of conservative backlash over her coolness to Hegseth’s nomination, Ernst has inched closer and closer towards a vote to confirm him to helm the Pentagon.
Hegseth was targeted by an apparently coordinated smear campaign from establishment media outlets all too keen to recirculate years-old allegations.
But Hegseth remained firm in his commitment to stay the course while meeting individually with senators to discuss his vision for the Department of Defense and any concerns with his nomination.
Trump was impressed by Hegseth’s resolve, and has remained committed to Hegseth despite rumors — conveniently detrimental to Hegseth’s nomination — that Trump would consider replacing Hegseth with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Ernst is just the latest key senator to express support for Hegseth’s nomination to continue towards confirmation hearings.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), a key Republican voice on defense policy and recently elected to the third-ranking post in Senate Republican leadership, tweeted Monday morning, “I expect our Republican Senate is going to confirm all of President Trump’s nominees.”
Bradley Jaye is a Capitol Hill Correspondent for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter at @BradleyAJaye.
Source:Breitbart News Rephrased By: InfoArmed