President-elect Donald Trump’s supporters are poised to ramp up criticisms against Republican Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst as she continues to withhold support for Pete Hegseth, Trump’s secretary of defense pick.
“It’s really this simple: If you oppose President Trump’s nominees, you oppose the Trump agenda and there will be a political price to pay for that. We are well aware that there are certain establishment Senators trying to tank the President’s nominees to make him look weak and damage him politically, and we’re just not going to allow that to happen,” a top Trump ally told Fox News.
Hegseth has been on Capitol Hill meeting with Republican senators to get their support as he fights claims of sexual misconduct and drinking too much. Hegseth has said he did nothing wrong.
Ernst is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which will hold the confirmation hearing for the nominee for secretary of defense. Last week, Ernst met with Hegseth. Ernst, on the other hand, has not said for sure that he will vote for Hegseth.
”Pete Hegseth and I will continue our constructive conversations as we move forward together in this process. We plan to meet again next week. At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing,” Ernst said last week after meeting with Hegseth.
After the meeting with Ernst, Hegseth said, “I had a substantive conversation with Senator Ernst. I appreciate her sincere commitment to defense policy, and I look forward to meeting with her again next week.”
JUST IN: Pete Hegseth Issues Major Statement As Media-Driven Controversy Swirls
Trump is also standing by Hegseth and wrote on his Truth Social on Friday: ”Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep. He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!”
Ernst is a retired Iowa National Guard lieutenant colonel, and spoke before the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday where she addressed her advocacy for survivors of military sexual assault.
“I am a survivor of sexual assault, so I have worked very heavily on sexual assault measures within the military, so I’d like to hear a little more about that, and I’d like to hear about the role of women in our great United States military,” Ernst said.
She added that she was “excited” to meet with Hegseth, “but there will be a very thorough vetting before he moves forward.”
This week, Hegseth will go back to Capitol Hill to try to get more support for his nomination. At the same time, conservatives and Trump supporters are criticizing Ernst and other colleagues who haven’t backed Hegseth even though they voted to confirm Biden nominees almost four years ago.
“If you’re a GOP Senator who voted for Lloyd Austin, but criticize @PeteHegseth, then maybe you’re in the wrong political party!” Don Trump Jr. wrote on X.
“Joni Ernst sucked as a Senator long before this. The rest of the country is just now finding that out. However, defeating an incumbent US Senator takes high name ID, connections, and funding potential,” talk show host Steve Deace wrote on X. “I’m one of the few people in Iowa with all three. I don’t want to be a Senator, but I am willing to primary her for the good of the cause if I’m assured I have Trump’s support going in. Or I am willing to throw my support and network behind someone else President Trump prefers to primary Joni Ernst instead.”
Building America’s Future, a conservative nonprofit, told the Daily Caller that it is spending $500,000 on ads to support Hegseth for Secretary of Defense and urges voters to ask their senators to back the nominee.
“America needs a Defense Secretary who knows what it means to fight, and understands the price of freedom. Pete Hegseth is a patriot, a decorated combat veteran and a warrior who will stop at nothing to keep America safe,” the ad says.
“The Deep State is trying to stop his nomination, but Pete isn’t backing down. Call your senator today and urge them to confirm Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense,” the ad continues.
For his part, Hegseth is also not backing down.
While speaking with reporters on Capitol Hill, Hegseth told the press that he only answers to Trump, the Senate, his wife, and Jesus Christ.
Hegseth is facing old allegations of sexual misconduct and drink abuse. Hegseth has unequivocally denied all of the allegations against him, but they have resulted in some lawmakers like Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) hesitant to back Hegseth through his confirmation.
After holding private meetings with senators on Capitol Hill, Hegseth maintained his position when questioned by the press, asserting that his only accountability was to Trump, the Senate, and Jesus Christ.
“Have they pressed you on the issue of alcohol?” a reporter asked.
“We’ve had great conversations about who I am and what I believe. And frankly, the man I am today because of my faith in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and my incredible wife, Jenny, right here. I’m a different man than I was years ago. And that’s a redemption story that I think a lot of Americans appreciate. And I know from fellow vets that I’ve spent time with, they resonate with that as well. You fight. You go do tough things in tough places on behalf of your country. And sometimes that changes you a little bit,” Hegseth began.
“And by the grace of God and my Lord and Savior, I had an opportunity to ask you to come on up out of it and do great things with great veterans organizations that fought for vets, that fought for reform at the VA and for warfighters and at the Fox News Channel to advocate for those very same causes. And I’m proud of what I fought for. I’m not going to back down from them one bit,” he added.
Hegseth continued, “I will answer all of these senators’ questions. But this will not be a process tried in the media. I don’t answer to anyone in this group. None of you, not to that camera at all. I answer to President Trump, who received 76 million votes on behalf and a mandate for change. I answer to the 100 senators who are part of this process and those in the committee. And I answer to my Lord and Savior and my wife and my family. I’m proud to be here as long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight. I’m going to be standing right here in this fight fighting to bring our Pentagon back to what it needs to be.”
