Iowa’s Republican Senator Joni Ernst declared on Tuesday her intention to cast her vote in favor of Donald Trump’s nominee for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth. This move aligns one of the remaining Republican skeptics in the Senate, greatly enhancing the likelihood of confirmation for the former Fox News personality and Army veteran.
As a member of the Armed Services Committee, Ernst communicated her support during an interview with local radio station WHO News Radio 1040, stating, “I will be supporting President Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth.”
If every Democrat votes against Hegseth, he can only lose the support of three or fewer Republican senators. Those who have yet to disclose their voting intentions include Susan Collins from Maine, John Curtis of Utah, Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Todd Young of Indiana.
When Trump announced Hegseth’s nomination, Ernst remarked that he “would have his work cut out for him,” and during a Fox News discussion, she refrained from pledging her support for him at that time.
A combat veteran and survivor of sexual assault, Ernst recently mentioned that her conversation with Hegseth left her feeling reassured by his commitment to designate a senior official to address sexual assaults within the military, as well as to ensure qualified women are considered for combat positions.
This reassurance follows Hegseth’s remarks made just two months prior on a podcast, where he expressed opposition to women serving in combat roles, a subject that Democratic senators challenged him on during Tuesday’s session.
According to The New Yorker on Monday, Ernst also chose not to meet with the woman who accused Hegseth of sexual assault in 2017. Hegseth ultimately reached a financial settlement with the woman and signed a nondisclosure agreement before the matter was dismissed. He has denied all allegations.
The confirmation proceedings of the former Fox News host have also been accompanied by scrutiny regarding the adequacy of his background investigation.
Beyond the sexual assault claim, other controversies surrounding Hegseth include accusations of drinking while on duty and financial mismanagement of a veterans’ nonprofit organization. He has denied these allegations as well.
