A significant win…
On Tuesday, Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, scored a significant endorsement after a grueling hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee.
According to Fox News, Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst — who previously declared herself being on the fence regarding Hegseth — said Tuesday evening that she was on board with the appointment.
That speaks volumes because Ernst was the only GOP holdout making her reservations public on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“After four years of weakness in the White House, Americans deserve a strong Secretary of Defense,” Ernst told Fox News via a statement.
“Our next commander in chief selected Pete Hegseth to serve in this role, and after our conversations, hearing from Iowans, and doing my job as a United States Senator, I will support President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense,” she added.
“As I serve on the Armed Services Committee, I will work with Pete to create the most lethal fighting force and hold him to his commitments of auditing the Pentagon, ensuring opportunity for women in combat while maintaining high standards, and selecting a senior official to address and prevent sexual assault in the ranks.”
The endorsement is critical, as Ernst had first told the media she was skeptical of Trump’s pick and subsequently issued a statement vaguely supportive of him.
In December Ernst, a combat veteran, told Fox News that she had a “very long, lengthy discussion” with Hegseth in early December and added that “we will continue with the vetting process. I think that is incredibly important.”
When Fox News’ Bill Hemmer responded that it sounded like the Senator hadn’t “gotten to a yes” yet, she responded, “I think you are right.”
