The second Trump term will begin in a little over a month. But the U.S. Senate isn’t so sure.
And now the Senate has given Donald Trump breaking news about his incoming administration.
Donald Trump has decided to go out on a limb and nominate some real heavy hitters to his cabinet for his second administration in the White House. This was a real focus for him this time around, compared to when he was headed into the White House for the first time back in January of 2017. He’s admitted he didn’t make the best picks then and he wants to make better decisions this time around.
One of his top nominees this go round, Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, has been facing attacks from all angles. The Washington, D.C. bureaucrats are terrified of this outsider being able to actually bring some common sense to the U.S. war machine that has been left unchecked for years and years now. Pete Hegseth isn’t just another crony to control, but that’s also why his nomination is in danger.
The U.S. Senate must confirm him, and lucky for Hegseth and Donald Trump, the odds of that just became much more likely with a report coming out about Hegseth earning the support of a key U.S. Senate holdout. It’s not totally certain Hegseth will be confirmed, but the odds have now flipped in his favor making it more likely than not that he will be the Secretary of Defense in Donald Trump’s cabinet.
Pete Hegseth has made significant progress in his bid to become President-elect Donald Trump’s Secretary of Defense, winning over a key Republican senator who had been hesitant to endorse him. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, signaled her support for Hegseth’s nomination following a productive meeting between the two on Monday afternoon.
U.S. Senator Joni Ernst Signals Support For Trump’s Nomination Of Pete Hegseth
In a statement, Ernst praised Hegseth for his responsiveness and respect for the nomination process. “I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst said. “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 values of our service men and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas — and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent s*xual assault within the ranks.” She also emphasized that she would support Hegseth throughout the confirmation process, highlighting the importance of a fair hearing focused on facts rather than anonymous sources. “As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources,” she added.
🚨BREAKING: Senator Joni Ernst announces her SUPPORT For Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.
Ernst says she believes Pete Hegseth and not “anonymous sources”
WE WON: pic.twitter.com/j73zDDkdtV
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 9, 2024
Ernst’s endorsement is particularly crucial, as she is seen as a key vote for Hegseth’s Senate confirmation. Her support comes after scrutiny from Ernst and other Republican senators over allegations of s*xual assault and drinking, which Hegseth and his former colleagues have firmly denied. Hegseth expressed gratitude for Ernst’s backing, calling her a “dedicated” advocate for defense issues. “The more we talk, the more we’re reminded of as two combat veterans how dedicated we are to defense,” Hegseth told reporters.
While no Republican senators have publicly pledged to oppose Hegseth’s nomination, several, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have yet to take a definitive stance. Hegseth previously met with Ernst last week, but at that time, the senator withheld her endorsement, saying that they would continue having “constructive conversations” about the nomination.
In a radio interview with SiriusXM’s Megyn Kelly, Hegseth characterized the opposition to his nomination as part of a “smear campaign.” He recounted a private conversation with a fellow senator who warned him that the attacks against him were part of a broader effort to undermine his nomination. “That’s their playbook. Get ready for more, and they’re gonna make it up, just like they have so far. All anonymous, all innuendo, all rumor, nothing sourced, no verification and they’re just gonna keep doing it, because you’re a threat to them,” Hegseth said.
Ernst’s shift in favor of Hegseth comes just days after President-elect Trump publicly defended his nominee. On December 6, Trump posted a message on Truth Social, calling Hegseth a “WINNER” and declaring that “nothing can be done to change that!!!”
As Hegseth’s confirmation battle continues, his supporters, including Ernst and Trump, are pushing back against the allegations and advocating for his appointment to the critical role of Secretary of Defense.
The political betting market, Polymarket, has shifted heavily in Pete Hegseth’s favor. At the announcement of Hegseth being nominated, he had upwards of a 90% chance of being confirmed to the role as Secretary of Defense. That started to quickly shift as Republicans in the U.S. Senate voiced skepticism for Donald Trump’s Sec Def nominee.
At one point, his implied odds were as low as 11%. Now, after the Ernst announcement, his odds have skyrocketed back to around a 70% chance of being confirmed to the role of Secretary of Defense. That’s a major swing and probably gives Hegseth and Trump a little bit of breathing room.
The fun will begin when the rubber hits the road and it’s time for Republicans, who carry an advantage in the U.S. Senate in the incoming term, to vote for or against Donald Trump’s nominees. RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) have been known for backstabbing Donald Trump before. They’ll do it again if they think it’s in their political favor to do so.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
