Senate Armed Services Committee official records

Trump Calls Pete Hegseth a 'WINNER' as Defense Nominee Rallies GOP Senators, Vows to Eliminate Wokeness

Dec 6, 2024, 12:57 PM

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, is actively meeting with Republican senators, including Tim Scott, Mike Rounds, Ron Johnson, Tom Cotton, and Senator-elect Jim Banks, to secure support for his confirmation amid controversy and opposition. Despite facing criticism and reports of alleged misconduct, Hegseth remains steadfast, declaring, "I'm proud of those things I've fought for. I'm not going to back down from them one bit." He emphasized, "As long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight, I'm going to be standing right here in this fight." A Rasmussen poll indicates that Republican voters strongly back Hegseth's nomination. Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have publicly affirmed their support, with Trump stating that he is a "WINNER" and "standing by Hegseth." GOP senators such as Ron Johnson and Tommy Tuberville have expressed their backing. Hegseth aims to bring a "war-fighting ethos" back to the Pentagon, pledging to focus on readiness and eliminate "wokeness" and DEI initiatives. An ad campaign by Heritage Action is touting his credentials, and supporters argue that the Military Industrial Complex sees his nomination as a threat because he will fight to protect the warfighters, not the war mongers.