Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth appears poised to at least make it to his confirmation hearing early next year after a round of meetings with key Republican senators have avoided raising any overt red flags.
Some Republicans have yet to commit to supporting Mr. Hegseth’s nomination. Still, none of those senators has called on him to withdraw from contention or said they view a variety of misconduct allegations lodged against him as disqualifying.
While the tide has turned for Mr. Hegseth after reports last week that President-elect Donald Trump was considering potential replacement picks to lead the Defense Department, he’s not out of the woods yet.
His confirmation hearing and an FBI background check will be telling for holdout senators such as Sen. Susan M. Collins, a Maine Republican who met with Mr. Hegseth on Wednesday.
“As is almost always my case, I do not make a decision until I have read the background check and observed the public hearing,” she said.
Mr. Hegseth confirmed to Ms. Collins that the FBI background check is underway.
She said she asked him questions for 70 minutes on a variety of topics related to both military policy and the allegations against him, which include accusations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement of veterans’ organizations he ran.
“I felt that he was forthright in his answers,” Ms. Collins said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that it clears up all the issues.”
Ms. Collins and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Republican, are among the toughest Republicans for Mr. Hegseth to win over. If all Democrats oppose his confirmation, he can afford to lose up to three Republican votes.
Ms. Murkowski declined to comment on her Tuesday meeting with Mr. Hegseth, characterizing it only as a “good exchange.”
Other holdout Republicans, such as Sens. Joni Ernst of Iowa and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, offered encouraging remarks, saying Mr. Hegseth should get a fair hearing where any complaints about his past are aired by on-the-record accusers, not anonymous sources in the media.
Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican, said after a Tuesday meeting with Mr. Hegseth that he will vote for his nomination “barring any unforeseen circumstances.”
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Whether any of Mr. Hegseth’s anonymous accusers go public with evidence backing their claims could influence how the confirmation process plays out, he said.
“What we will be able to do — either through the background check, the FBI or through the hearing itself — is to see whether these are anonymous or whether anybody will claim responsibility,” Mr. Cornyn said. “What I learned during the [Supreme Court Justice Brett] Kavanaugh hearings is that there are a lot of people who will make anonymous claims but will not show up and be accountable for that.”
In meetings with senators, Mr. Hegseth has been able to clear up past controversial remarks he made while working as a Fox News personality, such as his comments that women should not serve in combat roles.
“He said basically he thought the standard ought to be the same, and if women can meet the standard that they should be able to participate,” Mr. Cornyn said. “To me, that’s kind of common sense.”
Mr. Trump has reiterated his support for Mr. Hegseth, and Mr. Trump’s allies are working overtime to lobby Republican senators who may have concerns about his nomination, with some threatening to back primary challengers against Republicans who don’t fall in line.
Outside conservative groups are also getting involved in the action. Heritage Action launched a $150,000 digital ad campaign on Wednesday, asking people to sign a petition urging senators to confirm Mr. Trump’s Cabinet nominees. The ad campaign targets nine states — including Alaska, Iowa and Maine — represented by Republicans who have been demure in their comments about Mr. Trump’s picks.
“Americans gave President Trump a mandate on Nov. 5 to implement and pass his top priorities as quickly as possible,” Heritage Action Executive Vice President Ryan Walker said in a statement. “The Senate must now do its part to have Cabinet appointees confirmed and ready to go to ensure this conservative mandate can be carried out effectively.”
When asked Wednesday if the pressure campaign from Trump allies was an effective strategy, Ms. Murkowski gave a long, drawn-out “um” before stepping into an elevator and evading further reporter questions on the topic.
• Lindsey McPherson can be reached at lmcpherson@washingtontimes.com.