Republican Senators Rally Behind Pete Hegseth, Democrats Say he is 'Unfit' to Be Secretary of Defense

When President Donald Trump (R) announced that Pete Hegseth (R) was his pick for Secretary of Department of Defense, some conservatives cheered and others were left scratching their heads. After former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) withdrew his nomination for Attorney General, reports are circulating that Hegseth could be next to withdraw his nomination.

Since the announcement, Hegseth has been embroiled in controversy. A recent revelation showed that he had allegedly paid a secret financial settlement to a woman who had accused him of committing rape in 2017. Moreover, private emails between Hegseth and his mother were also uncovered, depicting an exchange wherein his mother accuses him of being abusive towards women.

Hegseth has denied the accusations, and he recently appeared on the Megyn Kelly Show to talk about the negative publicity, pushing back against the scrutiny and calling himself "the right guy to be in the Pentagon."

Rumors have also begun to swirl regarding the possibility of Hegseth withdrawing his nomination and being replaced by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R). President Trump, Governor DeSantis, or Hegseth have not commented on the rumor, but Democrats on Capitol Hill are eager to see the former Army National Guard and political commentator remain on Fox News.

Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) took to social media to share an article detailing the controversial material surrounding the Defense Secretary nominee. On X, Rep. Schultz simply shared that "Hegseth is clearly unfit and unqualified to lead our military."

In contrast, Republicans appear to overwhelmingly support Hegseth for Defense Secretary, and many have taken to social media to show support for him. Utah Senator Mike Lee (R) has taken to social media to enthusiastically share that Republican Senators are ready to confirm Hegseth.

Hegseth maintains his innocence when confronted with his past accusations, and he dismisses any criticism as the result of a "smear campaign" against him. In a recent social media post, the Fox News host argued that "the Left is afraid of disruptors and change agents" like himself and President Trump, so he accuses liberals of using "fake, anonymous sources & BS stories" against him.