Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) was becoming a problem. She wasn’t exactly enthused with Pete Hegseth’s nomination to be our next secretary of defense. Mr. Hegseth, a decorated combat veteran who served this nation for over 20 years, is qualified to run the Defense Department but has been subjected to incessant attacks about boozing and women, most of which are anonymous. Things didn’t look good, with Ernst reluctant to support this nomination and The Wall Street Journal reporting that Ron DeSantis was being considered a possible replacement.
Yet, Trump stands by Hegseth, and his meetings on the Hill have gone well. He met with Ernst again, and the tune was much different this time. He described his latest meeting with the Iowa Republican, rumored to be working to derail Hegseth to get the secretary of defense job for herself, as “very good.”
How many meetings does Joni Ernst need to have with Hegseth? https://t.co/s69RH6P7nv
— Tom Bevan (@TomBevanRCP) December 9, 2024
NEW: Hegseth says he “had a very good meeting” with Sen. Joni Ernst
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 9, 2024
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Ernst later issued a statement:
“I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process. 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.”
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