(Bloomberg) -- Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s embattled choice for defense secretary, may have faced the toughest grilling he’s had on Capitol Hill so far when he met Wednesday with a fellow military veteran, Republican Senator Joni Ernst.
Even as reports indicate Trump may scrap Hegseth and nominate Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, the Iowa senator could be crucial in rescuing — or tanking — Hegseth’s prospects.
Since Trump announced he wanted the former Fox News host to lead the Pentagon despite his lack of major management experience, Hegseth has been on defense, denying allegations of sexual assault, alcohol abuse and mismanagement of a veterans organization. He’s also been cited as questioning whether women should serve in combat.
“All eyes will be on that meeting,” Lexington Institute Vice President Rebecca Grant said beforehand. She said Hegseth would have to rebut the allegations of sexual assault and assure Ernst that as defense secretary he would “respect that Congress makes the laws on women in combat, not him.”
Afterward, neither participant disclosed details of the discussion or the outcome. Ernst posted on X that she appreciated Hegseth’s service to the country, “something we both share,” and that they had a “frank and thorough conversation.” Hegseth described it as an “engaging and constructive conversation.”
Ernst, 54, was a company commander in Iraq and Kuwait in the Iowa Army National Guard, retiring in 2015 after 23 years of service. She’s also a survivor of sexual assault and has been a leading voice taking on the prevalence of sexual assaults in the military.
“She is uniquely positioned to evaluate Mr. Hegseth’s nomination, especially given his criticism of women in combat roles,” said Kathleen McInnis, a director and senior fellow of the Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The margin for confirmation is narrow. Hegseth can lose no more than three Republicans on a confirmation vote, assuming unanimous Democratic opposition. That’s why a thumbs-up or down by Ernst is crucial, according to analysts.
“It is doubtful Hegseth would get much support from Senate Democrats unless he has political-diplomatic skills he has not yet had to display in his career to date,” said Peter Feaver, a Duke University professor who specializes in military-civilian relations. “That means he cannot afford to lose many Republican senators.”
Adding an extra layer of intrigue to Wednesday’s meeting: speculation that Ernst could be a contender for defense secretary if Hegseth can’t be confirmed and DeSantis isn’t chosen.
Ernst is “a very important bellwether because of her own distinguished military service — if he can’t gain her support I’d be very surprised if he can garner confirmation,” said Kori Schake, director of defense and foreign policy at the American Enterprise Institute.
--With assistance from Steven T. Dennis.
(Updates with comments after meeting in fifth paragraph)
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.