OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Defense Department got a big round of support this week from his colleagues at Fox News.
Fox & Friends co-hosts vigorously defended their former colleague Wednesday morning amid reports about Hegseth’s alleged behavior in the past.
Fox News co-host Lawrence Jones lauded his ex-colleague: “He’s a Harvard guy. He’s a Princeton guy. He’s been talking about this stuff for years where the whole book about transforming the military, the way that we’re doing things, the wokeness.”
Jones then slammed an NBC News report alleging that Hegseth had a drinking problem that supposedly concerned his former Fox News employees.
“And by the way, there’s reports coming out there, too, that we know for we’ve known for years that we know that’s just not true,” Jones said. “And the fact that they’re going out there with unnamed sources when we sit on the couch with him almost every day, for over ten years. Its just — to me, that is the stunning part, especially when you don’t reach out to his cohosts of the show for comment to say, ‘Hey, what do you guys think about this?’ No one has been contacted about that. I think that screams that it’s a witch hunt.”
Steve Doocy chimed in and provided greater context for Fox & Friends viewers learning about these allegations for the first time: “In the Wall Street Journal article, it talks a little bit about it. It sounds like Donald Trump down at Mar-a-Lago is actually floating. You know, he’s casually suggested, ‘Okay, if it doesn’t work out, what about Ron DeSantis?’ Another name apparently that is apparently way down the list on Plan B is Elbridge Colby, discussed by some Trump allies. Also, some have suggested Joni Ernst, according to the Wall Street Journal, and they’ve got the exclusive on this.”
“Apparently, a number of the Republican senators are warning Pete that you’re going to face a grilling during public confirmation hearings,” Doocy continued. “The allegations, sexual assault, adultery, excessive alcohol use and financial mismanagement. According to the Wall Street Journal, there are apparently six Republican senators who are not completely on board with him. So that would be a deal breaker. And maybe that’s why they’re looking at Plan B. “
“That the roadblock to a nomination process to me is almost blasphemous because of this entire thing that the American people voted into office,” chimed in Emily Compagno. “No, we will not succumb to the left’s playbook. We will not succumb to Kavanaugh becoming a verb in that the left likes to wield the media and a very public witch hunt to thwart the possibility for actual success. And that’s the whole point.”
Brian Kilmeade concluded by praising his former Fox News “buddy,” saying, “Physically, Pete is cut out of stone, is a rock. The guy eats healthier, acts healthier, works harder, and literally works on his ranch. He does. He has a lifestyle that reflects this discipline.”
Hegseth told reporters during a hallway interview at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday that he’s not going to drop out of consideration despite mounting allegations of sexual and personal misconduct.
Former Fox News contributor Pete Hegseth, an Army officer with documented combat experience, said that he spoke with Trump earlier in the day and that the president-elect encouraged him to “keep fighting.”
“I spoke to the President-elect this morning. He said keep going, keep fighting… Why would I back down? I’ve always been a fighter,” he told a reporter.
Asked directly if he was thinking of withdrawing his name amid the allegations, Hegseth said he was on Capitol Hill to meet with senators and that would continue.
WATCH:
SECDEF nom Pete Hegseth says he spoke to Trump Wednesday morning and that Trump encouraged him to keep going amid s*x allegations.
“I spoke to the President-elect this morning. He said keep going, keep fighting… Why would I back down? I’ve always been a fighter.” pic.twitter.com/flX1ccEhyM
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) December 4, 2024
