Republican senators have varied responses to Pete Hegseth’s police report

Senate Republicans are responding to President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Fox News personality Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department amidst sexual assault allegations. Some senators defended the pick, while others expressed concerns. Senator Kevin Cramer noted the seriousness of the allegations given the military’s sexual assault problem but did not prejudge Hegseth. Trump has described Hegseth as tough and smart, but an incident in 2017 involved a police report where a woman accused Hegseth of sexual assault, though he was not charged. Transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that the police found the allegations to be false. Several senators, including Markwayne Mullin and Bill Hagerty, voiced support for Hegseth’s confirmation, emphasizing his qualifications and Trump’s trust in him. Lindsey Graham compared the allegations against Hegseth to those against President Joe Biden and seemed indifferent, while two other Cabinet picks, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Matt Gaetz, have also faced allegations of sexual misconduct. Gaetz withdrew from consideration for attorney general amidst allegations of sex with a minor. Senator Josh Hawley emphasized the importance of the Senate’s vetting process and allowing nominees to address concerns through testimony before reaching conclusions.

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