Summary
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Defense Secretary, faces scrutiny over a 2017 sexual assault allegation.
A complaint to Trump’s transition team details an alleged incident at a California Republican conference, investigated by Monterey police but resulting in no charges. The accuser signed a nondisclosure agreement, and Hegseth’s lawyer denies wrongdoing.
The transition team is reportedly frustrated over inadequate vetting.
Trump has expressed support for Hegseth, despite concerns his confirmation could face resistance in the Senate, mirroring controversies surrounding other Trump appointees, including Matt Gaetz.
There was something off about his obviously intentionally egregious picks, and what you say makes a lot of sense.
In 2016, Trump was an outsider with a few allies. 2016-2020 he bullied anti-Trump republicans like Kinzinger and Cheney, making examples out of them and getting a lot of candidates, governors and House members to kiss the ring. By 2020 on Jan. 6th when it came time to object to certification and stage the coup, the House was deeply infected by MAGA loyalists, but the Senate was mostly immune (with a few exceptions, like perennially spineless Cruz and Hawley).
Now in 2024, the Senate is showing signs of pushback but Trump knows he has momentum from a likely complete House takeover and his election “mandate.” He’s making a statement: “submit.”