Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, is ramping up his pitch to lead the Pentagon with back-to-back meetings on Capitol Hill.
Since his nomination, Hegseth has been meeting privately with senators in Washington, D.C., in an effort to earn their support ahead of his confirmation hearing next year.
Hegseth was back on the Hill for a second day on Wednesday, meeting first with incoming Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is set to be the Armed Services Committee chair, ahead of a crucial meeting with incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.
The nominee has faced a series of drinking and sexual misconduct allegations, all of which he has denied, since being tapped for the top administration role.
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Pete Hegseth, center, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be Defense secretary, makes his way to a meeting with Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., in the Russell Building on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (Tom Williams)
Multiple sources confirmed to Fox News that Trump is reportedly considering nominating Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as Defense secretary in place of Hegseth amid the allegations against him.
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However, Hegseth brushed off the potential replacement, telling reporters that he spoke with Trump on Wednesday morning, who reportedly told him to “keep going, keep fighting.”
President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, center, and his wife Jennifer Rauchet walk through the Hart Senate Office building on Dec. 3, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker)
“Why would I back down?” Hegseth said. “I have always been a fighter. I am here for the war fighters.”
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Hegseth added that he would be “meeting all day with senators.”
Fox News’ Bret Baier, Paul Steinhauser and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.