Sen. Joni Ernst signaled Monday that she is warming to Defense Secretary designee Pete Hegseth after days of being reticent over the accusations leveled against him.
The 54-year-old Ernst, who is a rape survivor, revealed that she had “encouraging” discussions with the embattled former Fox News host after their second known meeting in a week — and echoed his frustrations with anonymous sources attacking the Cabinet pick’s personal history.
“I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst (R-Iowa), who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement. “I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.”
She specifically commended Hegseth for backing key Pentagon reforms that she’s been after — including better financial stewardship and improvements toward preventing sexual assault in the military.
“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,” she added.
The Pentagon has failed an audit seven years in a row.
Ernst and Hegseth are both Army veterans. Ernst had been floated as a potential contender to be the Pentagon boss prior to Hegseth being tapped as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick.
Ernst had taken heat from conservatives after it became clear that she was hesitant about Hegseth, whom she’s known personally for about a decade.
The pressure campaign included Trump allies at the national level and even local officials such as Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, who penned an op-ed on Breitbart pushing for Hegseth to get confirmed.
“The more we talk, the more we are reminded that we are two combat veterans and we are dedicated to defense,” Hegseth told reporters after what he described as a “very good meeting” with Ernst.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who at one point called the accusations against Hegseth “disturbing,” also lauded the Pentagon boss designee after what he called a “positive, thorough and candid meeting” with him.
“Everyone in his unit in Afghanistan — including our Afghan partners – had nothing but great things to say about Pete. He is smart, passionate, and loves our men and women in uniform and our country,” Graham said.
“I told Pete that he will be given the opportunity to defend himself and that his confirmation hearing should not be allowed to become a three-ring circus,” Graham added, noting his record of backing presidential cabinet picks regardless of party affiliation.
Hegseth has been dogged by revelations that he paid an undisclosed amount of money to a woman in 2017 who accused him of raping her at a California Federation of Republican Women conference.
The 44-year-old has strenuously denied the accusation and his attorney Timothy Parlatore has underscored that after a police report was filed, there were no charges made against Hegseth. Moreover, Parlatore has dangled the possibility of suing the woman in question if his Defense bid goes up in flames.
There have also been a handful of other accusations lodged against Hegseth, who co-hosted “Fox & Friends” on the weekends from 2017 to 2024, including that he had struggled with alcohol.
None of those accusers have been named, though an outcry of Hegseth’s former colleagues have rallied to his defense and publicly denied the accusations against him.
Hegseth has also admitted to cheating on his wife.
Given the small incoming 53 to 47 Republican majority in the Senate, Hegseth can only afford to lose four GOP votes at most.
Later in the week, he is expected to meet with Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), two moderate Republicans who have been willing to break from party lines in the past.
Thus far, Ernst had been the most prominent senator to harbor apprehensions about Hegseth. The senator has publicly alleged that she was raped by a boyfriend in college and that she was physically assaulted by her ex-husband.
She has grappled with accusations against appointees in the past, including Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, whom she voted to support.
