Trump shifts strategy on tough confirmation battles, to Hegseth’s benefit

Trump World is congratulating itself on a stunning turnaround in Pete Hegseth’s chances of winning confirmation to lead the Pentagon, an effort they credit to Vice President-elect JD Vance, Hegseth and his team and the power of the “MAGA” movement.

While Hegseth’s confirmation is not assured, he appears poised to receive a hearing and is on more stable footing than he was late last week after President-elect Trump and his allies decided to turn up the heat on wavering GOP senators.

Sources close to Trump’s orbit described the shift in fortunes for Hegseth, who has faced allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking at previous jobs, as a result of a few key factors. 

They pointed to Vance fighting for him behind the scenes; public pressure on senators from figures like Donald Trump Jr., Charlie Kirk and conservative media outlets like Breitbart; and Hegseth himself digging in and making media appearances to fight for his own nomination.

The concerted effort to defend Hegseth won over President-elect Trump, who has in recent days offered public support for his pick to lead the Pentagon.

“Last week was a masterclass in how to bring somebody back from the brink,” said one Trump ally.

Allies of the president-elect described his decision to double down on Hegseth partly as a result of his nominee’s decision to fight for himself, with the Trump ally saying the president-elect was “happy with what he saw.”

Others acknowledged Trump and his team were convinced that allowing Hegseth to fail could lead to a ripple effect that would endanger his other nominees, especially after Senate opposition already tanked Trump’s first choice for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

“I think the other thing they realize is, let’s say he dumps Hegseth. What are they gonna do next? They’re going to go after Tulsi and RFK Jr.,” one Republican strategist with ties to Trump’s team told The Hill, referring to former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), the president-elect’s nominee for director of national intelligence, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

The tide turning for Hegseth could be a preview of what’s to come as Trump and his team gear up for potentially tense confirmation battles for Gabbard and Kennedy.

Gabbard and Kennedy have started meeting with senators on Capitol Hill in recent days to win support for their nominations. And while no Republicans have said they intend to oppose either pick, Trump allies are likely to watch closely to see whether GOP senators fall in line.

Gabbard has drawn scrutiny for her comments parroting Russian propaganda about its invasion of Ukraine and for her past comments about recently deposed Syrian leader Bashar Assad.

Kennedy, meanwhile, will likely face intense questioning over his antivaccine rhetoric and his controversial views on consuming raw milk and removing fluoride from drinking water.

“Some of these people, whether it’s RFK, or Pete or even Tulsi to an extent, these people are outside-the-box reformers, and that’s what he wants,” said the Republican strategist.

Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon appeared to be on life support last week. Multiple Republican senators had concerns about his nomination, and Hegseth could only afford to lose three GOP votes, assuming all Democrats voted no.

Republicans were left in limbo as Trump remained mum about Hegseth for much of last week, while reports that he had spoken with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) about the job dominated headlines.

Hours after talk of DeSantis as an alternative option first surfaced, Hegseth’s mother, Penelope, appeared on Fox News to advocate for her son and urge Senate Republicans, and female senators in particular, to give him a fair hearing.

Later the same day, Hegseth himself appeared on Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM radio show to address the allegations against him and vow to fight to reform the Pentagon and eliminate so-called woke policies that focus on diversity and equality.

Trump last Friday took to social media to praise Hegseth, something he also did during a “Meet the Press” interview taped the same day.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who met with Hegseth and says he will vote for his nomination, said he called Trump to make sure the president would stand by his nominee. Cornyn recognized that Trump’s steadfast support would be crucial to keeping other GOP senators on board with Hegseth. 

“I think President Trump is committed to Pete Hegseth’s candidacy as [Defense secretary], and I’m supporting Pete. I think he’s going to need some help and I want to maintain those avenues of communication, but also I told him it’s going to be a miserable experience, sort of like Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing,” Cornyn told The Hill. 

“I wanted to make sure that he was committed to the nomination and he told me he was. That’s what I needed to know because I didn’t see people taking any political risks only to find out it was for nothing,” he said. 

While no GOP senator had publicly said they would oppose Hegseth, much of the focus was on Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa.). Ernst is a military veteran, a survivor of sexual assault and a member of  the Senate Armed Services Committee, which would handle Hegseth’s confirmation hearing.

Trump allies took to social media to chastise Ernst and other Republicans who signaled ambivalence over Hegseth’s nomination. 

Donald Trump Jr. and Fox News personalities such as Will Cain questioned how some Republican senators could justify voting to confirm Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, whom President Biden appointed, but not Hegseth. Others accused Republicans of undermining Trump and ignoring his mandate as the newly elected president.

Building America’s Future, a group previously backed by Musk, ran a $500,000 ad campaign urging viewers to contact their senator and encourage them to support Hegseth. The ad ran on digital platforms, including in Iowa, Ernst’s home state.

Vance spoke with Ernst and other senators to urge them to give Hegseth a fair hearing and to push back on the prospect of media reports tanking a nominee.

Vance has spent the past two years in the Senate and has relationships with many of the senators who will determine the fate of Trump’s nominees.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), a staunch Trump ally and former football coach at Auburn University, called for the president to “weigh in” with senators to ensure Hegseth does get across the finish line.

“I’m the head coach and I’m going to hire an offensive coordinator. I’m going to hire who I want. I’m not going to have people tell me,” he said, summing up Trump’s view of the matter. “You want your own team.”

Alexander Bolton contributed reporting