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‘I Will Be Supporting Pete’: Sen. Joni Ernst Backs Hegseth Following Conservative Pressure Campaign

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Following a widespread conservative pressure campaign, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, revealed on Tuesday evening that she will be voting to confirm Pete Hegseth as President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of defense.

“I am breaking news. … Yes, I will be supporting President Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth,” Ernst said during an interview on Simon Conway’s radio show.

The Iowa Republican’s announcement came hours following Hegseth’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, in which he endured grotesque slanders and unhinged tirades from the body’s Democrat members. The former Fox News host also fielded policy-related questions from the panel’s GOP members, including Ernst.

Tuesday’s announcement marks a major win for Hegseth and conservative voters, the latter of whom galvanized to pressure GOP senators to confirm Hegseth following revelations that Ernst was leading a behind-the-scenes effort to nuke his nomination.

Trump world sources told The Federalist last month that Iowa’s junior senator was spearheading an “aggressive” personal jihad against Hegseth. This included Ernst making calls to Trump to convince him to dump Hegseth and enlisting Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to lobby the president-elect to replace Hegseth with Ernst. (Read more from “‘I Will Be Supporting Pete’: Sen. Joni Ernst Backs Hegseth Following Conservative Pressure Campaign” HERE)

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Laughter Erupts During Senate Hearing As Pete Hegseth Quips About His Military Service In Response To Elizabeth Warren

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Laughter erupted during the Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday as Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth retorted Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s questioning.

Hegseth has publicly expressed his belief that military generals should be banned from serving in the defense industry for 10 years after their departure from service, leading the senator to ask if he would commit to that same standard after exiting his potential role as the next defense secretary. After Warren pressed him on the topic, Hegseth concluded his response with a quip about his military record.

“But the question I have for you is, will you put your money where your mouth is and agree that when you leave this job, you will not work for the defense industry for 10 years?” Warren asked.

“Senator, it’s not even a question I’ve thought about,” Hegseth said. “Because it’s not one, my motivation for this job has never been about what could conceivably come next.”

The Massachusetts senator interrupted Hegseth to accuse him of not living up to his own standards. (Read more from “Laughter Erupts During Senate Hearing As Pete Hegseth Quips About His Military Service In Response To Elizabeth Warren” HERE)

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‘Pete’s A Patriot’: More Than 100 Veterans And Supporters Rally For Hegseth’s Pentagon Nomination

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More than 100 former Navy SEALs, military veterans, and other supporters gathered in Washington, D.C. on Monday to back Pete Hegseth’s nomination as the next secretary of defense. The rally comes ahead of Hegseth’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.

“These are warfighters. That’s who support[s] Pete. That’s who’s on this podium. These are men and women who put it on the line for our country. And they’re telling you the way it is,” former Navy SEAL Bill Brown said.

Monday’s presser comes amid a series of unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoing in the workplace leveled against Hegseth by alleged anonymous sources leading up to Tuesday’s confirmation hearing. Laundered by America’s corrupt corporate media, some of these claims appear to stem from a former disgruntled employee. They have also been heavily disputed by Hegseth’s former colleagues and associates.

A woman also previously accused Hegseth of sexual assault following a purported 2017 sexual encounter between the two. Prosecutors declined to press charges due to a lack of “proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” according to reports.

Several veterans in Monday’s gathering are former Navy SEALs who participated in the GI Go Fund’s Navy SEAL Hudson River Swims, a charity event involving former SEALs, “fellow veterans and military supporters in a swim across the Hudson River to honor our military veterans, their families, and all of those who died during 9/11 and the wars that followed that fateful day.” Hegseth previously partook in the swim during his time as a Fox News host. (Read more from “‘Pete’s A Patriot’: More Than 100 Veterans And Supporters Rally For Hegseth’s Pentagon Nomination” HERE)

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West Point Refuses to Say if Officials Who Spread False Info About Pete Hegseth’s Academy Record Will Be Punished

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West Point is refusing to disclose whether school officials who gave false information to legacy media about Pete Hegseth’s acceptance into the academy will face disciplinary action for their conduct, The Federalist has learned.

The entire saga came to fruition on Wednesday morning, when Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, posted screenshots of his 1999 acceptance letter into West Point on X. In the caption accompanying the images, the Army veteran wrote, “We understand that ProPublica (the Left Wing hack group) is planning to publish a knowingly false report that I was not accepted to West Point in 1999. Here’s my letter of acceptance signed by West Point Superintendent, Lieutenant General Daniel Christman, US Army.”

As noted by the former Fox News host, ProPublica is radical left-wing “news” organization that acts as a PR operation for the Democrat Party and its interests. Bankrolled by the left’s dark money network and staffed with Democrat partisans, the outlet has spent the last year leading a seemingly coordinated smear campaign against Supreme Court Justices Samual Alito and Clarence Thomas.

Responding to Hegseth’s tweet in a condescending X thread, ProPublica Senior Editor and Reporter Jesse Eisinger — who edited ProPublica’s Pulitzer Prize-winning hit pieces against the conservative justices — effectively admitted the left-wing outlet was looking into running a hatchet job against Hegseth based on the Army veteran’s “different statements over the years about West Point, where he has said he was admitted.”

Eisinger claimed ProPublica first reached out to West Point’s public affairs office to inquire about Hegseth’s acceptance into the academy and was informed by a representative, “According to the admissions office – Hegseth had not applied for admission to the U.S. Military Academy.” Eisinger contended the leftist outlet subsequently called the academy “to ask if that meant that Hegseth had never been admitted,” and was purportedly told by a second West Point representative, “Absolutely 100%. Because he never opened a file.” (Read more from “West Point Refuses to Say if Officials Who Spread False Info About Pete Hegseth’s Academy Record Will Be Punished” HERE)

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‘I Support Pete’: Ernst Changes Tune Following Second Hegseth Meeting

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Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, indicated she will confirm Pete Hegseth as the next secretary of defense on Monday. The announcement marks a stark pivot for Ernst, who has been leading a behind-the-scenes effort to tank Hegseth’s nomination.

“I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst said in a press release. “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. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.”

The statement was issued following Ernst’s Monday afternoon meeting with Hegseth on Capitol Hill. The Iowa senator previously met the Army veteran to discuss his nomination to lead the Pentagon last week.

When asked about his most recent talk with Ernst, Hegseth told reporters it “was a very good meeting,” and expressed appreciation for “her commitment to the process.”

“We look forward to working together,” Hegseth said.

(Read more from “‘I Support Pete’: Ernst Changes Tune Following Second Hegseth Meeting” HERE)

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Here’s the List of People a Research Group Wants Pete Hegseth to Fire

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A group of military leaders has made waves by releasing a list of individuals they believe should be fired if Pete Hegseth gets confirmed as President-elect Donald Trump’s Secretary of Defense.

The American Accountability Foundation (AAF), composed of current and former military personnel, sent a letter to Hegseth arguing that these people are part of the entrenched bureaucracy within the Pentagon that has undermined military readiness and American values.

Hegseth has been a staunch critic of the military’s management for several years. The group believes this is an opportunity to purge what it views as a woke establishment that has compromised the integrity of the nation’s military.

Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who now leads the AAF, said that the current leadership prioritizes diversity and social norms and does not focus enough on the military’s readiness and policies, such as national security. He said those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.

He praised Hegseth for being vocal about being “pretty clear that [DEI] has no place in the military.” (Read more from “Here’s the List of People a Research Group Wants Pete Hegseth to Fire” HERE)

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Trump Reaffirms ‘Strong’ Support For Pete Hegseth’s Defense Secretary Nomination

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President-elect Donald Trump reaffirmed his support for Pete Hegseth’s nomination to become the next secretary of defense on Friday, putting any GOP senator seeking to tank the Army veteran’s confirmation on notice.

“Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “He was a great student -Princeton/Harvard educated – with a Military state of mind. He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense … one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!”

Within the past few days, Hegseth has come under a barrage of unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoing during his time working at Fox News and spearheading veteran-related nonprofit organizations. Numerous former colleagues and associates have come out strongly disputing the accusations from anonymous individuals.

Dozens of military veterans have signed onto a letter backing Hegseth’s nomination in light of the media’s smear campaign, according to Fox News.

A woman also previously accused Hegseth of sexual assault following a purported 2017 sexual encounter between the two. Prosecutors declined to press charges due to a lack of “proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” according to reports. (Read more from “Trump Reaffirms ‘Strong’ Support For Pete Hegseth’s Defense Secretary Nomination” HERE)

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Pete Hegseth’s Mother Sets the Record Straight After ‘Despicable’ NYT Published Private Email

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The mother of embattled Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, appeared on live television to set the record straight after the New York Times published a private 2018 email sent to her son in which she deeply regrets.

During an interview with Fox and Friends, the show Hegseth used to co-host before being nominated by Trump to work in his cabinet, Penelope Hegseth said she wrote the email out of haste due to her anger in the heat of the moment. She pointed out that she apologized to her son hours later in a second email—which, of course, had not been leaked.

Over the weekend, I covered the absurd NYT article in which the outlet tried to persuade its readers that even Hegseth’s own mother had claimed he has “mistreated women for years” amidst the sexual misconduct allegations against the former news host.

Six years ago, Penelope emailed her son, expressing her disappointment with him amid his divorce. She said he was displaying a “lack of character” and called him an “abuser of women.”

“That is the ugly truth, and I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around, and uses women for his own power and ego,” Penelope Hegseth wrote. “You are that man (and have been for years), and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth,” advising the former Fox News host to “get some help and take an honest look at yourself.” (Read more from “Pete Hegseth’s Mother Sets the Record Straight After ‘Despicable’ NYT Published Private Email” HERE)

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Trump Considers Replacing Pete Hegseth With Ron DeSantis as Defense Secretary Pick: Report

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President-elect Donald Trump is considering replacing Pete Hegseth, his controversial pick to lead the Pentagon, with one-time 2024 rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, people familiar with the discussions told The Wall Street Journal Tuesday.

The move comes as Hegseth, a 44-year-old Army veteran and former Fox News personality, faces increasing scrutiny over allegations of sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement.

The defense secretary post requires Senate confirmation and Hegseth faces an increasingly uphill battle to win over GOP members with concerns about his past.

As many as six Senate Republicans have expressed reservations about confirming Hegseth for the top Pentagon role, according to NBC News.

DeSantis, a former Navy Judge Advocate General, was on a short-list of potential defense secretary candidates presented to Trump by transition officials before he went with Hegseth, according to the Journal. (Read more from “Trump Considers Replacing Pete Hegseth With Ron DeSantis as Defense Secretary Pick: Report” HERE)

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Female Republican Senators Express Support for Pete Hegseth: ‘The Answer’ to Restoring the Military

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Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) expressed full support for Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth after meeting with him Monday amid an onslaught of hit pieces from the establishment media.

“Are soldiers sometimes wild childs? Yeah, that can happen, but it is very clear that this guy is the guy who, at a time when Americans were losing confidence in their own military, in our ability to project strength around the world, Pete Hegseth is the answer to that concern,” she told reporters on Tuesday, according to Politico.

Her support comes at a critical time, as Hegseth comes under attack from anonymous sources in reports about his alleged behavior when drinking or with women from as far back as 2014.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) also expressed support for Hegseth, posting that she was glad to meet with him and discuss their shared priorities of restoring U.S. military deterrence and attracting more patriotic young Americans to military service.

(Read more from “Female Republican Senators Express Support for Pete Hegseth: ‘The Answer’ to Restoring the Military” HERE)

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