Key Republican Sen. Joni Ernst sounds warmer on Trump's Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth
After a second meeting with Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's embattled pick to lead the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst said in a statement Monday she will "support Pete through this process."
“I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process," said Ernst, who has been facing increased pressure to offer an endorsement of Trump's nominee.
"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. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.”
"She supports Pete through this process," spokesperson Kelsi Daniell said in a text message when asked to clarify whether Ernst's statement means she will vote in support of Hegseth's nomination.
Ernst, an Iowa Republican and veteran, has previously said she intends to give Hegseth a fair hearing.
More: Backlash to Iowa Republican US Sen. Joni Ernst mounts amid Pete Hegseth nomination fight
A member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Ernst has been a key hurdle in Hegseth's path to confirmation as he battles allegations of sexual assault, which he has denied, as well as allegations of alcohol abuse and mismanagement of a nonprofit he led. He also has opposed women serving in combat roles in the military.
Ernst is the first female combat veteran to serve in the U.S. Senate, and she has a staunch legislative record of addressing sexual assault and harassment in the military.
Backlash to Ernst's holdout has been building, with some Republicans threatening to primary her if she runs for reelection in 2026.
She and Hegseth met last week as well. Ernst said on the social media site X that they had a "frank and thorough" conversation. But in a Fox News interview the next day, she said she had not gotten to a "yes" on his confirmation.
Last week, she posted to X that she intended to meet with Hegseth again.
"At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing," she wrote.
Hegseth told reporters on Capitol Hill Monday that it was a "great meeting."
“She had been dedicated to making the Pentagon work for war-fighters for a long time,” Hegseth said, according to The Hill. “We’ve had great extensive conversations about that, and I just appreciate her commitment to the process, and we look forward to working together.”
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at [email protected] or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Sen. Joni Ernst: 'I support Pete' Hegseth 'through this process'