FIRST ON FOX: Nearly a week after the United States Military Academy West Point admitted an error was made when an employee said Pete Hegseth's application was not accepted, and President-elect Donald Trump's Department of Defense secretary pick tells Fox News Digital he has yet to hear from the school directly.
"I would just say I haven't heard from West Point," Hegseth said Tuesday. "Nothing."
When asked if he would like a direct apology from the school, the former Fox News host said, "One would think."
ProPublica senior editor and reporter Jesse Eisinger explained last week on X that the outlet was informed twice by West Point that Hegseth had not even applied for admission. According to Eisinger, he was "100%" never admitted to the school, "because he never opened a file."
However, Hegseth did apply to West Point and was accepted in 1999 but never attended.
The Defense secretary hopeful provided ProPublica with his original acceptance letter to the academy, and Eisinger said they reapproached West Point, which then admitted that an error was made.
In a statement, West Point said, "A review of our records indicates Peter Hegseth was offered admission to West Point in 1999 but did not attend. An incorrect statement involving Hegseth’s admission to the U.S. Military Academy was released by an employee on Dec. 10, 2024."
"Upon further review of an archived database, employees realized this statement was in error. Hegseth was offered acceptance to West Point as a prospective member of the Class of 2003. The academy takes this situation seriously and apologizes for this administrative error."
When Hegseth was made aware of the story ProPublica had been working on, he shared his acceptance letter publicly on X. "We understand that ProPublica (the Left Wing hack group) is planning to publish a knowingly false report that I was not accepted to West Point in 1999. Here’s my letter of acceptance signed by West Point Superintendent, Lieutenant General Daniel Christman, US Army."
The "error" at West Point left a number of Republicans with questions. In a Dec. 11 letter sent to U.S. Military Academy Superintendent Lieutenant General Steven Gilland after Hegseth revealed ProPublica's story, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said, "I understand that a civilian public-affairs officer, Theresa Brinkerhoff, informed a reporter that Mr. Hegseth didn’t apply to West Point, as he has said publicly in the past. This statement is incorrect; not only did Mr. Hegseth apply, but he was also accepted to the West Point Class of 2003."
"Worse, the statement may violate Mr. Hegseth’s rights under the Privacy Act of 1974 by revealing protected personal information. If true, it also demonstrates egregiously bad judgment to share such information about the nominee to be Secretary of Defense with a known liberal outlet like ProPublica."
Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., also demanded information on how the error occurred in his own letter last week. The senator-elect wrote to Gilland, asking for "all communication and documentation regarding how West Point OPA falsely accused Hegseth of lying about his application."
The school employee's mistake comes as Hegseth continues his swing on Capitol Hill meeting with senators in hopes of being confirmed in 2025 as Trump's secretary of Defense.
West Point did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s Defense secretary nominee ensnared in sexual assault allegations, plans to release his accuser from the confidentiality agreement he had her sign, according to Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Graham, R-S.C., told NBC’s "Meet the Press" that Hegseth "told me he would release her from that agreement," adding, "I’d want to know if anybody nominated for a high-level job in Washington legitimately assaulted somebody."
Graham has said he will not take allegations from an anonymous source into consideration for Hegseth’s confirmation.
Allowing Hegseth’s accuser to come forward publicly might lead to a spectacle similar to the confirmation process for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, during which his accuser, Christine Ford, was called to testify in the Senate about her accusations.
"The Pete Hegseth I know, this is not a problem I’ve been aware of," Graham said.
"However, if people have an allegation to make, come forward and make it like they did in Kavanaugh," he added, referring to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. "We’ll decide whether or not it’s credible."
A woman alleges that in 2017, she was sexually assaulted by Hegseth in a hotel room in Monterey, California.
Hegseth was not charged in the incident and insists the interaction was consensual, and the charge stemmed from a woman who regretted cheating on her husband.
Police recommended the case report be forwarded to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office for review, but no charges were filed.
At the time of the alleged assault, Hegseth, 44, was going through a divorce from his second wife, with whom he shares three children. She filed for divorce after he had a child with another woman, according to court records and social media posts.
A payment was made to the woman, according to Hegseth’s attorney, as part of a confidentiality agreement because Hegseth feared the woman was preparing to file a lawsuit that could have cost him his job as a co-host on "Fox & Friends."
Earlier this month, Hegseth’s attorney, Tim Parlatore, told CNN they had considered suing the woman for civil extortion before settling with a confidentiality agreement.
It is not yet clear whether the allegations may stand in the way of Hegseth’s confirmation. Republicans will have a 53-47 majority in the next Senate, and there is only room for Trump nominees to lose a few GOP votes, assuming no Democrats choose to back them.
Hegseth does not appear to have lost any Republicans in the upper chamber at this point, including more moderate lawmakers such as Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Hegseth met with both of them last week on Capitol Hill. According to Collins, "I had a good, substantive discussion that lasted more than an hour."
"We covered a wide range of topics ranging from defense procurement reforms to the role of women in the military, sexual assault in the military. Ukraine, NATO, a wide range of issues. I obviously always wait until we have an FBI background check and one is underway in the case of Mr. Hegseth, and I wait to see the committee hearing before reaching a final decision."
Trump's Defense secretary choice has also met twice with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. After their first meeting earlier this month, Ernst admitted on Fox News that she was not sold on Hegseth yet. However, after their second meeting this week, she released a statement, saying, "As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources."
Fox News' Julia Johnson and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., is demanding that Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd Austin promise to keep all records as the Biden administration continues to sell southern border wall materials for low prices ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's second term.
"I write to demand full accountability and transparency from the Department of Defense about its role in the disposal of excess border wall materials from the first Trump administration," the senator said in a letter to Austin on Monday.
He acknowledged that President Biden was the one who decided "to halt the needed construction of the southwestern border wall," but added that he had questions about the DOD's role in the sale of materials.
It was reported by Fox News' William La Jeunesse that sections of wall were being sold "as scrap" and for just "pennies on the dollar."
According to a DOD official, Biden's administration has been disposing of excess border wall materials as was authorized by the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The official said that about 60% of these materials have been given to authorized recipients such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Texas and California. They added that 40% was purchased by GOVPLANET, a marketplace that sells surplus government equipment and materials. The border wall materials that are available on the site are not currently owned by the government and the DOD doesn't have the authority to prevent any sales of them, the official said.
In his letter to Austin, Cotton told the secretary to provide a written assurance that the department would "preserve all electronic and written material related to the disposition of the border wall materials."
Additionally, he asked for a "full accounting" of how the border wall materials were disposed of as outlined in the NDAA.
And lastly, Cotton demanded a list of each company that materials were sold to.
"Thankfully, the egregious waste of taxpayer money and flaunting of urgent national security concerns will end on January 20, 2025, when President-elect Trump assumes office," the Arkansas Republican said. "Congress will use the records you are required by law to preserve to fully understand the Biden Department of Defense’s role in making our border less secure."
The DOD did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.
At a press conference on Monday, Trump pleaded with the Biden administration to halt their continued lame duck efforts to sell border wall materials. "It's almost a criminal act," the president-elect said.
"They know we're gonna use it," Trump explained, adding that it will cost more to get back.
He predicted it would cost "hundreds of millions of dollars more" to rebuild the wall portions.
The pick by President-elect Trump to lead the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, seems to be on track to get enough GOP Senate support to be confirmed, despite facing a handful of allegations ranging from sexual assault, excessive drinking and fund mismanagement, all of which he has denied.
One Republican senator told Fox News Digital that they weren't aware of any GOP senators who are a "hard no" on confirming Hegseth.
This is much different than the landscape for former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump's previous selection to be attorney general, who faced several definitive "no" votes from senators.
Contending with the significant lack of support espoused most candidly behind closed doors, Gaetz withdrew from the process just days after being selected.
Republicans will have a 53-47 majority in the next Senate, and there is only room for Trump nominees to lose a few GOP votes, assuming no Democrats choose to back them.
However, as the Republican senator conveyed, Hegseth doesn't appear to have lost any Republicans in the upper chamber at this point, including more moderate lawmakers such as Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
Hegseth met with both of them this week on Capitol Hill. According to Collins, "I had a good substantive discussion that lasted more than an hour."
"We covered a wide range of topics ranging from defense procurement reforms to the role of women in the military, sexual assault in the military. Ukraine, NATO, a wide range of issues. I obviously always wait until we have an FBI background check and one is underway in the case of Mr. Hegseth, and I wait to see the committee hearing before reaching a final decision."
Murkowski refused to discuss her meeting with Hegseth, a former Fox News host, when asked by reporters.
Trump's defense secretary choice has also met twice with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. After their first meeting earlier this month, Ernst admitted on Fox News that she wasn't sold on Hegseth yet. But after their second meeting this week, she released a statement, saying, "As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources."
Ernst is notably the first female combat veteran ever elected to the Senate and also sits on the Armed Services Committee. She is additionally a survivor of sexual assault herself, which Hegseth has been accused of but denied.
The changing tide, seemingly in favor of Hegseth's confirmation, was articulated by Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to reporters. "You can feel the difference this week versus last week," he said.
"Kash [Patel] is not going to have an issue. Tulsi [Gabbard] is not going to have issue. People are going to ask the questions they should, but they're going to get confirmed," he added of other somewhat controversial Trump picks.
As President-elect Trump and his transition team steer his cabinet nominees through the landmines of the Senate confirmation process, top MAGA allies are joining the fight by putting pressure on GOP lawmakers who aren't fully on board.
"There will be no resource that we won’t use to go after those U.S. senators that vote against Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks or his other nominees," longtime Trump outside adviser Corey Lewandowski told Fox News this week.
Fueled by grassroots support for Trump and his nominees, the president-elect's political team and allies are cranking up the volume.
Ernst, the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate, is considered a pivotal vote in the confirmation battle over Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for defense secretary.
Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who until last month was a longtime Fox News host, has been the focus of a slew of media reports spotlighting a series of drinking and sexual misconduct allegations, as well as a report alleging he mismanaged a veterans nonprofit organization that he once led.
Hegseth has denied allegations that he mistreated women, but did reach a financial settlement with an accuser from a 2017 incident to avoid a lawsuit. He has vowed that he won't drink "a drop of alcohol" if confirmed as defense secretary.
Ernst, a member of the Armed Services Committee, which will hold Hegseth's confirmation hearings, took plenty of incoming fire after last week publicly expressing hesitance over Hegseth's nomination.
While Trump publicly praised Hegseth late last week, as the nomination appeared to be teetering, top allies of the president-elect took aim at Ernst, who is up for re-election in 2026 in red-state Iowa.
Donald Trump Jr., the president-elect's oldest son and MAGA powerhouse, took to social media to target Ernst and other potentially wavering Republican senators.
"If you’re a GOP Senator who voted for Lloyd Austin [President Biden's defense secretary], but criticize @PeteHegseth, then maybe you’re in the wrong political party!" he posted.
Top MAGA ally Charlie Kirk quickly took aim at Ernst with talk of supporting a primary challenger to her.
"This is the red line. This is not a joke.… The funding is already being put together. Donors are calling like crazy. Primaries are going to be launched," said Kirk, an influential conservative activist and radio and TV host who co-founded and steers Turning Point USA.
Kirk, on his radio program, warned that "if you support the president’s agenda, you’re good. You’re marked safe from a primary. You go up against Pete Hegseth, the president, repeatedly, then don’t be surprised, Joni Ernst, if all of a sudden you have a primary challenge in Iowa."
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, a top Trump supporter in last January's first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses, wrote a column on Breitbart urging Hegseth's confirmation.
While she didn't mention Ernst by name, Bird took aim at "D.C. politicians" who "think they can ignore the voices of their constituents and entertain smears from the same outlets that have pushed out lies for years."
And longtime Iowa-based conservative commentator and media personality Steve Deace took to social media and used his radio program to highlight that he would consider launching a primary challenge against Ernst.
Ernst, who stayed neutral in the Iowa caucuses before endorsing Trump later in the GOP presidential primary calendar, may have gotten the message.
After meeting earlier this week for a second time with Hegseth, Ernst said in a statement that her meeting was "encouraging" and that she would "support Pete through this process."
But Ernst's office told Fox News that "the senator has consistently followed the process, which she has said since the beginning, and doing her job as a United States senator."
It's not just Ernst who has faced the fire from Trump allies and MAGA world.
Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, one of four remaining GOP senators who voted in the 2021 Trump impeachment trial to convict him, is also up for re-election in 2026 in a reliably red state. Cassidy is now facing a formal primary challenge from Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming, a senior adviser in the first Trump administration.
Sen. Mike Rounds, another Republican up for re-election in two years in GOP-dominated South Dakota, has also been blasted by Kirk, as well as by top Trump ally and billionaire Elon Musk.
And staunch Trump supporter Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama had a warning for Republican Senate colleagues who may oppose the president-elect's nominees.
"Republicans: If you’re not on the team, get out of the way," he told FOX Business.
Whether these early threats from Trump allies turn into actual primary challenges in the next midterm elections remains to be seen. And ousting a senator is no easy feat. It's been a dozen years since an incumbent senator was defeated during a primary challenge.
But Trump's team and allies are playing hardball in the wake of former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., the president-elect's first attorney general nominee, ending his confirmation bid amid controversy.
There has been a full-court press by Trump's political orbit to bolster Hegseth — in order to protect him and some of the president-elect's other controversial Cabinet picks.
"If Trump world allowed a couple of establishment senators to veto a second nominee, it would have led to a feeding frenzy on Trump's other nominees, and so the thinking in Trump world was we have to defend Pete not just for the sake of defending Pete, but also for the sake of defending our other nominees," a longtime Trump world adviser, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, told Fox News.
Fox News' Emma Colton, Cameron Cawthorne, Julia Johnson, Tyler Olson and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
FIRST ON FOX - More than 30 House Republicans who are military veterans are expressing their "strong support" for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's nominee for Defense Secretary.
In a letter to Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the incoming Senate majority leader, and Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, the current majority leader, the House GOP lawmakers "call on the Senate to honor its constitutional duty of advice and consent by conducting a fair, thorough confirmation process."
The letter, shared first with Fox News on Wednesday, was written by Rep. August Pfluger of Texas. He urges that senators evaluate Hegseth's nomination "solely on its substantive merits— his distinguished military service, academic credentials, and a bold vision for revitalizing our national defense."
Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who until last month was a longtime Fox News host, has been the focus of a slew of reports spotlighting a series of drinking and sexual misconduct allegations, as well as a report alleging he mismanaged a veterans nonprofit organization that he once led.
Trump's defense secretary nominee has denied allegations that he mistreated women but did reach a financial settlement with an accuser from a 2017 incident to avoid a lawsuit. He has vowed that he won't drink "a drop of alcohol" if confirmed as defense secretary.
While Hegseth's confirmation is still far from a sure bet, a very public pronouncement of support from Trump late last week, behind-the-scenes efforts by Vice President-elect Sen. JD Vance to persuade his GOP Senate colleagues to support the nominee, and Hegseth's own determination, seem to have resuscitated a nomination that appeared to be teetering last week.
Pfluger, in the letter, emphasizes that Hegseth's "ability to communicate across institutional landscapes—with military leadership, congressional representatives, and frontline troops—will set him apart. His media expertise and transparent communication style will be crucial in executing a clear vision that cuts through bureaucratic inertia."
"Mr. Hegseth represents the strategic reset our defense infrastructure requires: an unorthodox yet qualified leader who can streamline the defense bureaucracy, accelerate modernization, and ensure America remains the world's most formidable military power," Pfluger argues.
Pfluger, an Air Force Academy graduate who served as a pilot on active duty for two decades and flew combat missions in Iraq and Syria. He later served on the National Security Council during Trump's first term in office before winning election in 2020 to the House in Texas' 11th Congressional District.
The letter is co-signed by Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida - Trump's pick to serve as his national security adviser in his second administration. Waltz, a colonel in the National Guard, received four Bronze Stars while serving in the Special Forces during multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa. In 2018, he became the first "Green Beret" elected to Congress.
The fellow veterans putting their signatures on the letter are - in alphabetical order - Republican Reps. Mike Bost of Illinois, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Elijah Crane of Arizona, Jake Ellzey of Texas, Scott Fitzgerald of Wisconsin, Scott Franklin of Florida, Mark Green of Tennessee, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Wesley Hunt of Texas, Ronny Jackson of Texas, Trent Kelly of Mississippi, Nick LaLota of New York, Barry Loudermilk of Georgia, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Morgan Luttrell of Texas, Brian Mast of Florida, Richard McCormick of Georgia, Max Miller of Ohio, Cory Mills of Florida, Barry Moore of Alabama, Troy Nehls of Texas, Zach Nunn of Iowa, Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania, Keith Self of Texas, Greg Steube of Florida, William Timmons of South Carolina, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, Brandon Williams of New York, Ryan Zinke of Montana, and Dan Crenshaw of Texas.
FIRST ON FOX: The transition team for President-elect Donald Trump is touting the support of several Republican senators for Pete Hegseth, who Trump has picked to lead the Department of Defense (DOD) in 2025.
In a new video, Republican senators offered praise for Hegseth and his abilities, as he and Trump make the case for him taking the lead of the DOD.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told reporters that Hegseth was "perfect" for the role, while Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., predicted he would be "great."
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., pledged, "I'm going to do whatever that [I] can to make sure he's confirmed as Secretary of Defense."
"The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a clear mandate to deliver on his campaign promises — and his Cabinet selections reflect his commitment to putting America First," said Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt in a statement.
"Pete Hegseth is an exceptionally qualified, highly educated, and tough patriot who has not only served this country with courage, but has also devoted his life to advocating for our troops and veterans. Mr. Hegseth’s extensive military experience, combined with his steadfast commitment to restoring the Pentagon and our armed forces to greatness, will advance President Trump’s vision of returning meritocracy, accountability, and efficiency to the United States military."
The video comes as Hegseth continues to meet with Republican senators on Capitol Hill as he also faces scrutiny over accusations of sexual assault, drinking and potential mismanagement of funds at a veterans nonprofit. Hegseth has reportedly denied all the allegations that surfaced following Trump's announcement of him as his choice for DOD secretary.
Hegseth had a second meeting with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, on Monday after their first meeting did not leave her convinced to support him. In a statement following their discussion, the senator said, "As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources."
When Fox News host Bill Hemmer pressed Ernst on her first meeting with Hegseth, she admitted that the meeting had not quite gotten her to a "yes" on Hegseth.
Hegseth, who worked at Fox News as a political commentator and weekend host over a 10-year period, is an Army combat veteran who is decorated with two Bronze Stars. He served for nearly 20 years, completing tours in Guantánamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan.
As Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's defense secretary nominee, returns to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to meet with more Republican senators, his once apparently teetering nomination now seems to be on much firmer ground.
While Hegseth's confirmation is still far from a sure bet, a very public pronouncement of support from Trump, behind-the-scenes efforts by Vice President-elect Sen. JD Vance, and Hegseth's own determination seem to have resuscitated a nomination that appeared to be headed toward life support.
"We look forward to earning these confirmation votes," a confident Hegseth said Monday night in an interview on Fox News' "Hannity."
In the wake of former Rep. Matt Gaetz, the president-elect's first attorney general nominee, ending his confirmation bid amid controversy, there has been a full-court press by Trump's political orbit to bolster Hegseth in order to protect him and other controversial Cabinet picks.
"If Trump world allowed a couple of establishment senators to veto a second nominee, it would have led to a feeding frenzy on Trump's other nominees, and so the thinking in Trump world was we have to defend Pete not just for the sake of defending Pete, but also for the sake of defending our other nominees," a longtime Trump world adviser, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, told Fox News.
Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who until last month was a longtime Fox News host, has been the focus of a slew of reports spotlighting a series of drinking and sexual misconduct allegations, as well as a report alleging he mismanaged a veterans nonprofit organization that he once led.
Hegseth has denied allegations that he mistreated women but did reach a financial settlement with an accuser from a 2017 incident to avoid a lawsuit. He has vowed that he won't drink "a drop of alcohol" if confirmed as defense secretary.
Trump's defense secretary nominee was interviewed hours after meeting a second time with Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate and a member of the Armed Services Committee, which will hold Hegseth's confirmation hearings.
Ernst, a conservative lawmaker first elected to the Senate in 2014, is considered a pivotal vote in the confirmation battle over Hegseth, who in the past has questioned the role of women in combat.
The senator is also a survivor of sexual assault who has a strong legislative record of addressing sexual assault and harassment in the military.
After meeting with Hegseth, Ernst wrote in a statement Monday that "as I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources."
Ernst emphasized that "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."
Hegseth, speaking with Fox News' Sean Hannity, noted that "it was a great meeting. People don't really know this. I've known Sen. Ernst for over 10 years.
"You get into these meetings, and you listen to senators – it's an amazing advise and consent process – and you hear how thoughtful, serious, substantive they are on these key issues that pertain to our Defense Department," he continued. "And Joni Ernst is front and center on that. So to be able to have phone calls and meetings time and time again to talk over the issues is really, really important. The fact that she's willing to support me through this process means a lot."
Last week, after her first meeting with Hegseth, Ernst said in a social media post that she and Trump's defense secretary nominee had a "frank and thorough" conversation.
A day later, when asked in an interview on Fox News' "America's Newsroom" if she wasn't ready to vote to confirm Hegseth, the senator replied, "I think you are right."
Even Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a longtime Trump ally in the Senate, was expressing serious concerns about Hegseth's nomination.
Fox News and other news organizations late last week reported that Trump was potentially considering nominating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as defense secretary as a possible replacement should Hegseth's nomination falter.
But on Friday, Trump took to social media to praise Hegseth.
"Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News," the president-elect wrote. And he praised Hegseth in a high-profile network TV interview over this past weekend.
Vance, who remains a senator from Ohio until he steps down to assume the vice presidency, has been working behind the scenes to consolidate support for Hegseth among his Republican colleagues in the Senate.
"It's fair to say that JD has been Pete's biggest champion internally in Trump world and has spent a lot of time over the last two weeks helping shore up support for Pete among his colleagues in the Senate," a source in Vance's political orbit told Fox News.
Meanwhile, Trump's political team and allies – fueled by grassroots support for Hegseth – turned up the volume.
"There will be no resource that we won’t use to go after those U.S. senators that vote against Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks or his other nominees," longtime Trump outside adviser Corey Lewandowski told Fox News.
Donald Trump Jr., the president-elect's oldest son and MAGA powerhouse, took to social media to target wavering Republican senators.
"If you’re a GOP Senator who voted for Lloyd Austin [President Biden's defense secretary], but criticize @PeteHegseth, then maybe you’re in the wrong political party!" Don Trump Jr. wrote in a social media post.
MAGA allies quickly targeted Ernst, with talk of a primary challenge when the senator faces re-election in 2026.
"This is the red line. This is not a joke.… The funding is already being put together. Donors are calling like crazy. Primaries are going to be launched," said Charlie Kirk, an influential conservative activist and radio and TV host who co-founded and steers Turning Point USA.
Kirk, on his radio program, warned that "if you support the president’s agenda, you’re good. You’re marked safe from a primary. You go up against Pete Hegseth, the president repeatedly, then don’t be surprised, Joni Ernst, if all of a sudden you have a primary challenge in Iowa."
State Attorney General Brenna Bird, a top Trump supporter in last January's Iowa presidential caucuses, wrote a column on Breitbart urging Hegseth's confirmation.
While she didn't mention Ernst by name, Bird took aim at "D.C. politicians" who "think they can ignore the voices of their constituents and entertain smears from the same outlets that have pushed out lies for years."
And longtime Iowa-based conservative commentator and media personality Steve Deace took to social media and used his radio program to highlight that he would consider launching a primary challenge against Ernst.
Deace, who supported DeSantis in the Iowa caucuses, said, "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."
Also helping Hegseth is his defiance.
Hegseth told reporters on Thursday that "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."
And on Fox News' "Hannity," Hegseth charged that "the left is trying to turn this into a trial in the media, a show trial. And we're not going to let that happen."
Fox News' Emma Colton, Cameron Cawthorne, Tyler Olson, and Chad Pergram contributed to this story
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon, praised women in the military as some of the "greatest warriors" after critics took issue with comments he made about women not being fit to serve in combat roles.
"I also want an opportunity here to clarify comments that have been misconstrued, that I somehow don't support women in the military, some of our greatest warriors, our best warriors out there are women," he told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Monday.
Female service members "love our nation, want to defend that flag, and they do it every single day around the globe. I'm not presuming anything," he added.
"But after President Trump asked me to be his Secretary of Defense, should I get the opportunity to do that, I look forward to being a secretary for all our warriors, men and women, for the amazing contributions they make in our military."
Hegseth will spend this week meeting with senators on Capitol Hill to court the 50 votes he needs to secure the Cabinet level position.
In a November 7 episode of the Shawn Ryan podcast, which aired mere days before Hegseth, a former Fox News employee, was tapped to serve as Defense Secretary, the nominee said: "I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles."
Hegseth asserted that women serving in combat roles "hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal" and "has made fighting more complicated."
Hegseth noted that he was not necessarily advocating for making the change right now, commenting; "Imagine the demagoguery in Washington, D.C., if you were actually making the case for, you know, ‘We should scale back women in combat.’"
"As the disclaimer for everybody out there," he added, "we’ve all served with women and they’re great, it’s just our institutions don’t have to incentivize that in places where … over human history, men are more capable."
He said, "I love women service members who contribute amazingly," but asserted that "everything about women serving together makes the situation more complicated and complication in combat means casualties are worse."
He also criticized the upper echelons of military leadership for changing standards and prioritizing filling diversity quotas above combat effectiveness. He pointed to a 2015 study by the Marine Corps that found that integrated male-female units did "drastically worse" in terms of combat effectiveness than all-male units.
"Between bone density and lung capacity and muscle strength, men and women are just different," he said. "So, I’m ok with if you maintain the standards just where they are for everybody, and if there’s some, you know, hard-charging female that meets that standard, great, cool, join the infantry battalion. But that is not what’s happened. What has happened is the standards have lowered."
President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, celebrated that he had a "great meeting" with Sen. Joni Ernst after the Iowa Republican slow-walked an endorsement of the Cabinet nominee.
"It was a great meeting. People don't really know this. I've known Sen. Ernst for over 10 years. I knew her when she was a state senator running to be the first female combat veteran," Hegseth told Fox News' Sean Hannity in an exclusive interview Monday evening. "And we supported her in that effort, and have continued to."
"You get into these meetings and you to listen to senators – it's an amazing advise and consent process -- and you hear how thoughtful, serious, substantive they are on these key issues that pertain to our Defense Department," he continued. "And Joni Ernst is front and center on that. So to able to have phone calls and meetings time and time again to talk over the issues is really, really important. The fact that she's willing to support me through this process means a lot."
Hegseth has been spending his days on Capitol Hill meeting with Republican senators to rally support as he battles allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and mismanaging a veterans nonprofit organization. Hegseth has denied the allegations and vowed that he won't drink "a drop of alcohol" if confirmed to Trump's cabinet.
Among Hegseth's meetings on Monday, he again met with Ernst, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, after meeting with her last week.
Last week, Ernst withheld committing to voting in favor of Hegseth, but hinted Monday that she is beginning to support the Trump nominee.
Ernst wrote in a statement Monday that "as I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources."
She added in her statement that "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."
Trump nominated Hegseth, a former National Guard officer, as secretary of defense last month, saying "with Pete at the helm, America's enemies are on notice — Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down." Hegseth was a host on "Fox & Friends Weekend" before Trump's nomination.
Fox News Digital reported Sunday, following Ernst's initial hesitation to support Hegseth, that Trump’s allies were expected to ramp up criticisms against her as she stalls on offering support to 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 Digital.
Hegseth continued in his interview with Hannity that he will also meet with Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, who Hannity identified as a pair of more liberal Republican senators compared to their colleagues.
"We will be meeting with Sen. Collins on Wednesday and Sen. Murkowski on Tuesday. And let me tell you, Sean, the founders got this right. This is not a trivial process. This is a real thing: advise and consent of a nominee who the president has chosen. And I'm so grateful that President Trump would have the faith in me to lead the Defense Department, to choose me to do that. But this advise and consent process, meeting with all the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and they all have great questions, and my answers are for them," Hegseth said.
The SecDef nominee also pushed back on claims of impropriety during the interview, arguing "the left is trying to turn this into a trial in the media – show trial – and we're not going to let that happen."
"I'm going to walk into the door of every one of these senators with just, as an open book, willing to answer their questions, because they deserve answers. … I've heard great things about all of these senators and the questions they want to ask, and we look forward to earning these votes. That's what it's about, ultimately earning the votes through the committee and through the entire U.S. Senate," he said.
Reports surfaced last week alleging Trump had lost faith in his nominee as Democrats slammed the choice and some Republicans, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, remarked the allegations against Hegseth were "disturbing." Trump bucked the claims when he doubled down on his support of Hegseth in a Truth Social post on Friday, while Vice President-elect JD Vance also said the Trump team is "not abandoning this nomination."
"Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday. "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!!!"
Fox News Digital's Cameron Cawthorne and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate and a member of the Armed Services Committee, has signaled toward supporting President-elect Trump's nominee for defense secretary.
After meeting on Monday for a second time with Pete Hegseth, Ernst wrote in a statement that "as I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources."
An Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who until last month was a longtime Fox News host, Hegseth has been the focus of a slew of reports spotlighting a series of drinking and sexual misconduct allegations.
Hegseth has denied allegations that he mistreated women and has vowed that he won't drink "a drop of alcohol" if confirmed as defense secretary. A separate report showcased allegations Hegseth mismanaged a veterans nonprofit organization that he once led.
Ernst, a conservative lawmaker first elected to the Senate in 2014, is considered a pivotal vote in the confirmation battle over Hegseth, who in the past has questioned the role of women in combat.
The senator is also a survivor of sexual assault who has a strong legislative record of addressing sexual assault and harassment in the military.
She said in her statement that "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."
Ernst's office told Fox News on Monday that "the senator has consistently followed the process, which she has said since the beginning, and doing her job as a United States senator."
After meeting with Hegseth last week, Ernst said in a social media post that she and Trump's defense secretary nominee had a "frank and thorough" conversation.
A day later, when asked in an interview on Fox News' "America's Newsroom" if she wasn't ready to vote to confirm Hegseth, the senator replied, "I think you are right."
Ahead of his second meeting with the senator, Hegseth told Fox News' Aishah Hasnie, "I'm really looking forward to meeting with Sen. Ernst. I appreciate her. I respect her background and her service. She's incredible. And the ongoing conversation has been very fruitful."
Over the past few days, a high-profile Trump ally has threatened to fuel a primary challenge against Ernst when she's up for re-election in 2026.
"This is the red line. This is not a joke. … The funding is already being put together. Donors are calling like crazy. Primaries are going to be launched," said Charlie Kirk, an influential conservative activist and radio and TV host who co-founded and steers Turning Point USA.
Kirk, on his radio program, warned that "if you support the president’s agenda, you’re good. You’re marked safe from a primary. You go up against Pete Hegseth, the president repeatedly, then don’t be surprised, Joni Ernst, if all of a sudden you have a primary challenge in Iowa."
In Iowa, conservative commentator and media personality Steve Deace took to social media and used his radio program to highlight that he would consider launching a primary challenge against Ernst.
"Defeating an incumbent US Senator takes high name ID, connections, and funding potential," Deace wrote. "I'm one of the few people in Iowa with all three."
Deace, who supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in this year's Iowa GOP presidential caucus, said, "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."
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, a top Trump supporter in the Iowa caucuses, wrote a column on Breitbart urging Hegseth's confirmation.
While she didn't mention Ernst by name, Bird took aim at "D.C. politicians" who "think they can ignore the voices of their constituents and entertain smears from the same outlets that have pushed out lies for years."
David Kochel, a veteran GOP consultant who was a key strategist and early backer of Ernst during her successful 2014 Senate campaign, told Fox News that "Joni Ernst is doing what the Constitution says what her job is, which is advise and consent."
"I think that everybody should just give her the space to do her job, and making threats to a combat veteran usually doesn't work out great," Kochel said.
Trump has praised Hegseth in the past few days.
"Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News," the president-elect wrote on Friday.
But Fox News and other news organizations have reported that Trump is potentially considering nominating DeSantis as defense secretary as a possible replacement should Hegseth's nomination falter.
Ernst's name has also come up as a possible replacement.
But the senator said last week in an interview with RealClearPolitics that "I am not seeking to be secretary of defense."
Fox News' Chad Pergram, Tyler Olson and Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
President-elect Donald Trump’s allies are expected to ramp up criticisms against Republican Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst as she stalls on offering support to Trump’s secretary of defense pick, Pete Hegseth.
"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 Digital.
Trump nominated Hegseth, a former National Guard officer, as secretary of defense last month, saying "with Pete at the helm, America's enemies are on notice — Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down." Hegseth was a host on "Fox & Friends Weekend" before Trump's nomination.
Hegseth has since been on Capitol Hill meeting with Republican senators to rally support as he battles allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing.
Ernst sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, which will hold the secretary of defense nominee’s confirmation hearing, and met with Hegseth last week. Ernst, however, has withheld committing to voting in favor of 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.
Hegseth added in his own comment on the meeting with Ernst, that he 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."
Reports surfaced last week alleging Trump had lost faith in his nominee as Democrats slammed the choice and some Republicans, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, remarked the allegations against Hegseth were "disturbing."
Trump bucked the claims last week when he doubled down on his support of Hegseth in a Truth Social post, while Vice President-elect JD Vance also said the Trump team is "not abandoning this nomination."
"Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday. "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, according to Politico.
She added that she was "excited" to meet with Hegseth, "but there will be a very thorough vetting before he moves forward."
Hegseth will head back to Capitol Hill this week to rally support for his nomination as conservatives and Trump supporters intensify their criticisms against Ernst and other colleagues who have stalled on supporting Hegseth despite voting to confirm Biden nominees nearly 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."
A conservative nonprofit, Building America’s Future, told the Daily Caller it is spending half a million dollars in ads supporting Hegseth as SecDef, while calling on voters to rally their respective senators to support 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.
Ernst has previously found herself at odds with the Republican Party and Trump, including in comments both during the first Trump administration and over the summer where she spoke favorably of transgender individuals serving in the military. Under the Trump administration in 2018, the 45th president officially authorized the Pentagon to ban transgender individuals from joining the military, with limited exceptions, after making the pledge to do so in 2017.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ernst's press office on Sunday but did not immediately receive a response.
Fox News Digital's Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida will join President-elect Trump next weekend at the annual Army-Navy college football game, two sources familiar tell Fox News.
The teaming up of DeSantis and Trump — for the second time this month — comes as multiple sources have confirmed that the president-elect is considering nominating the governor as defense secretary as a possible replacement for Pete Hegseth, Trump's embattled current pick to steer the Pentagon.
But the move also comes as Trump on Friday took to social media to write that "Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe."
DeSantis, a popular conservative governor and a Navy veteran who served in the Iraq War, waged a bitter battle last year and early this year with Trump during a very combative and divisive GOP presidential nomination race. But the two Republican heavyweights seemed to make peace after the primaries, and DeSantis helped raise funds for Trump during the general election.
DeSantis, who was re-elected in a landslide in 2022 but is term-limited and cannot run for re-election in 2026, is "very much" in contention to replace Hegseth, multiple sources told Fox News.
Another source told Fox News' chief political anchor and "Special Report" host Bret Baier that it was the president-elect himself who floated the governor's name, and that Trump and DeSantis discussed the idea as they met Tuesday while appearing together in Florida at a memorial service for fallen law enforcement officers in Palm Beach County.
The reporting from Fox News and other organizations this week came as Hegseth continued meeting with Republican senators as he made his case for confirmation as defense secretary.
Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who previously was a Fox News host, is facing a series of drinking and sexual misconduct allegations. He has denied allegations that he mistreated women and has vowed that he won't drink "a drop of alcohol" if confirmed as defense secretary.
A seemingly defiant Hegseth told reporters on Thursday afternoon that "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."
Trump, in his social media post, argued that Hegseth "will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense . . . , one who leads with charisma and skill."
The Army-Navy game is scheduled for Dec. 14 in Landover, Maryland. It will be the 125th game in the storied football series between the two military service academies.
Trump attended the game as president-elect in 2016 and three additional times during his first administration.
President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to head the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, spent another day courting support from Republican senators on Capitol Hill and taking a few questions from reporters while he was at it.
The military vet turned "Fox & Friends" co-host met with senators Rick Scott, R-Fla.; Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss; Mike Rounds, R-S.D.; Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; Tom Cotton, R-Ark.; and Sen.-elect Jim Banks, R-Ind., Thursday.
The meetings followed others Hegseth held earlier in the week with GOP senators, including Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who will be the next chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.
Hegseth has been facing a mountain of criticism with accusations against him ranging from fiscal mismanagement to alcoholism to sexual misconduct. Nevertheless, Hegseth said Thursday while walking between meetings on Capitol Hill that Trump supports him "fully."
"I'll tell you why I support him," Scott told reporters after his meeting Thursday with Hegseth. "I admire people who are willing to put on the uniform and lead troops into battle. ... When he goes in the Department of Defense, he will walk in with the mentality that he's going to take care of our warfighters."
Scott added that he will do "everything" he can to ensure Hegseth is confirmed.
"Pete Hegseth won’t back down from the media or the Pentagon bureaucracy," Banks added after his own one-on-one meeting with the defense nominee. "And he won’t back down from China, Russia or Iran. He will help President Trump make America strong again."
Between meetings on Capitol Hill Thursday, Hegseth was pressed about his meeting a day earlier with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. Ernst said earlier Thursday morning she was not yet willing to throw her support behind him.
"Productive meeting. Excellent," Hegseth said of his meeting with Ernst as he was peppered with questions during his meeting with Rounds.
"Constructive, candid. It was great," Hegseth told a different reporter.
When asked if the allegations about him were a topic of his conversation with Ernst, Hegseth declined to comment further, citing the private nature of their conversation.
"It's been a wonderful process," Hegseth told reporters Thursday. "There's an incredible amount of knowledge in the U.S. Senate — in the Senate Armed Services Committee — men and women who have studied these issues, have invested their lives in it. And as someone who is hoping to earn their support as the nominee for secretary of defense, I welcome that knowledge, I welcome that advice. And that's why we're here in all these meetings."
Hegseth's meetings Thursday coincided with visits to Capitol Hill by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. The pair convened on Capitol Hill to discuss their new role running President-elect Trump's Department of Government Efficiency with Thune.
President-elect Trump is considering nominating Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida as defense secretary to replace Pete Hegseth, Trump's embattled current pick to steer the Pentagon, multiple sources confirm to Fox News.
DeSantis, a bitter Trump rival last year and early this year during the GOP presidential nomination battle, made peace with Trump after the primaries and helped raise funds for Trump during the general election.
The popular conservative governor, a Navy veteran who served in the Iraq War, was re-elected in a landslide in 2022 but is term-limited and cannot run for re-election in 2026.
DeSantis is "very much" in contention to replace Hegseth, multiple sources told Fox News.
One source added that it was the president-elect himself who floated the governor's name, and that Trump and DeSantis discussed the idea as they met Tuesday while appearing together in Florida at a memorial service for fallen law enforcement officers in Palm Beach County.
The reporting from Fox News and other organizations comes as Hegseth on Wednesday returns to Capitol Hill to continue meeting with Republican senators as he makes his case for confirmation as defense secretary.
Hegseth, an Army National Guard officer who deployed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and who previously was a Fox News host, is facing a series of drinking and sexual misconduct allegations.
Hegseth has denied allegations that he mistreated women.
"I spoke with the President-elect this morning. He said keep going, keep fighting," Hegseth told reporters as he arrived on Capitol Hill.
"Why would I back down? I have always been a fighter," he added.
Hegseth also made his case in a social media post on Wednesday morning, writing, "I'm doing this for the warfighters, not the warmongers."
But a top Trump ally in the Senate is concerned.
"He obviously has a chance to defend himself here. But some of this stuff is — it’s going to be difficult," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a longtime military veteran, told reporters on Tuesday.
Among the senators Hegseth was meeting with on Wednesday is Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a military veteran and sexual-assault victim whose support would be crucial to his Senate confirmation.
Ernst told reporters on the eve of the meeting that she would likely have a "frank and thorough conversation" with Hegseth.
Hegseth's mother, Penelope Hegseth, appeared Wednesday on "FOX and Friends" to defend her son and "set the record straight."
"I am here to tell the truth. To tell the truth to the American people and tell the truth to senators on the Hill, especially female senators. I really hope that you will not listen to the media and you will listen to Pete," she added.
If Trump moves ahead and nominates DeSantis and the governor is confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate next year, it would lead to the ascension of Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez. She would make history as Florida's first female governor — and the first of Cuban descent.
The Wall Street Journal was first to report the news that Trump is considering DeSantis for defense secretary.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., blasted anyone within the Defense Department working to safeguard certain norms or policies that they expect the incoming Trump administration to target.
"It appears that partisans and obstructionists inside the Department of Defense are laying groundwork to defy or circumvent President Trump’s plans for both military and civil-service reform," Cotton wrote in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in reference to reports of such strategizing among DOD employees.
"These actions undermine civilian control of the military and our constitutional structure of government."
Earlier this month, it was reported that there were "informal discussions" occurring among Pentagon officials on what the department would do if Trump ordered the military for a domestic purpose or if he fired a significant number of employees, per CNN.
One anonymous defense official was quoted in the report saying, "Troops are compelled by law to disobey unlawful orders."
"But the question is what happens then – do we see resignations from senior military leaders? Or would they view that as abandoning their people?" they reportedly asked.
President-elect Trump promised during his campaign to shake up the federal government, whether it be through staffing changes or reorganization. Some reports have indicated specific people are being looked at for termination once he enters office again. An ally of Trump, former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, has been vocal about his belief that the federal government must be shrunk in size.
Ramaswamy has been tapped by Trump, along with billionaire business magnate Elon Musk, to lead his planned Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in his new administration. The proposed department has the goal of reducing the size of government, cutting spending and increasing efficiency.
Cotton criticized Lloyd in his letter for "promulgating false claims that the incoming administration plans to arbitrarily fire uniformed leaders."
Further, he slammed the secretary for a message after the election that the military would specifically follow "lawful orders" from Trump. Cotton said this was "a thinly veiled and baseless insinuation that President Trump will issue unlawful orders."
"I have to observe that these actions and reports only prove the need for reform and fundamental change at the Department of Defense. And, of course, while inappropriate and annoying, these tactics are also useless because no action by the outgoing administration can limit the incoming president’s constitutional authority as commander-in-chief," the Arkansas Republican wrote.
Cotton was recently elected to serve as chairman of the Senate Republican conference in the new Congress. He is also expected to take Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's place as the head of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
The DOD did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital for purposes of this story.
