Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) is dismissing the allegations in opposition to Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s choose to steer the Protection Division, arguing that each one folks have some “indiscretions” of their pasts.
The comment — made on conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s present — comes as Hegseth faces accusations relating to sexual assault and extreme consuming, that are threatening to tank his bid to be the subsequent Pentagon chief.
“I think Pete Hegseth was an exceptional pick,” Roy stated. “I know he’s under fire with the Senate, but he’s under fire from squishy senators who have been against everything we want to do. And so I hope Pete holds the line all the way through. I’m defending him, and we should all defend him.”
“You know look, we’ve all had some indiscretions in our past and things like that, every human has,” Roy added. “But good grief, Pete Hegseth, he’s got the support of so many people, and he represents somebody who would take on the defense establishment, and we need that, desperately need that.”
Hegseth was on Capitol Hill assembly with senators this week, working to gin up help for his nomination to steer the Division of Protection. That effort, nonetheless, has run into issue as some lawmakers elevate considerations concerning the former Fox Information host’s previous.
Hegseth was accused of sexual assault in 2017 and signed a nondisclosure settlement as a part of a monetary settlement he paid to the girl. He denied any wrongdoing. And over the weekend, The New Yorker journal reported on a whistleblower report relating to Hegseth’s time as president of the Involved Veterans of America from 2013-16 that described him as being intoxicated whereas on the job, amongst different allegations.
Hegseth this week pledged to cease consuming if confirmed to steer the Pentagon.
With Democrats anticipated to vote in opposition to Hegseth’s affirmation, he can solely afford to lose help from three Republicans. Trump has been mulling alternate options to Hegseth, together with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), a supply advised The Hill.
Whereas Roy has no bearing on whether or not Hegseth will get confirmed, because the Senate has the recommendation and consent authority, his remarks might assist the nominee as he works to amp up help publicly.
Roy took to the Home ground on Thursday to again Hegseth and a few of Trump’s different nominees, arguing that the president-elect deserves to fill his cupboard with folks he needs to work alongside.
“I watch the Senate Republicans doing this dance of hand-wringing and concern about the president’s nominees,” Roy stated. “The president was elected by the American people to change this town. He has nominated people who want to change this town.”
“If you want to go overturn every rock of everybody’s past and then say that they are not capable or they don’t deserve to serve in a position like secretary of Defense, as is currently occurring with the targeted attacks on Pete Hegseth, well, maybe you should take the board out of your eye,” he added. “I’m not saying that we don’t have standards that are appropriate in the advice and consent process. We do and we should. I’m a believer in that, in separation of powers. But the President also is deserving of the courtesy and the respect of his own party, in particular, of the individuals he’s nominating to change the town. He was elected to change it.”
Roy, a member of the conservative Home Freedom Caucus, additionally voiced his help for former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), Trump’s choose to be director of nationwide intelligence, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nominee to steer the division of Well being and Human Companies.
The 2 are dealing with varied controversies which are threatening their possibilities of affirmation: Gabbard, a former Democrat, is dealing with skepticism for her previous feedback concerning the Russian-Ukraine warfare that have been sympathetic to Moscow and echoed by Russian state media; Kennedy, one other former Democrat, has raised eyebrows for his vaccine skepticism.
Roy, nonetheless, provided a protection for the pair.
“You don’t like Tulsi because she’s a Democrat, get over it,” Roy stated. “She’s not anymore, she’s a Republican now, but she was in this chamber, I served with her. She’s a Democrat.”
“You don’t like Bobby Kennedy because he’s from the iconic Democrat family, get over it,” he added. “I don’t agree with Bobby Kennedy on a lot of different things, but I agree with him that we need to fundamentally change our health care system, that we need to make America healthy again.”
