Another blow has been dealt to the legacy media narrative that President-elect Donald Trump is replacing his nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, or even more DC swamp: IA Republican Senator Joni Ernst want.
In a video posted on X, Hegseth told a correspondent that he had just spoken to President-elect Trump that morning. According to Hegseth’s statement, Trump’s words to him reflected neither regret nor resignation about this confirmation fight. Our sister site Townhall I previewed this video. In typical corporate media fashion, the correspondent asking the questions begins reporting that President-elect Trump is considering replacing him with DeSantis as if this were a proven truth.
REGARD:
Pete Hegseth says he spoke to Trump this morning and Trump told him to “keep going” and “keep fighting.” pic.twitter.com/ZttPT259KY
– Johnny Maga (@_johnnymaga) December 4, 2024
CORRESPONDENT: Have you had discussions with the president-elect?
HEGSETH: I spoke to the president-elect this morning, he said, “Keep going, keep fighting, I’m behind you all the way.”
CORRESPONDENT: So you’ve been in this the whole time?
HEGSETH: Why should I give in? I have always been a fighter, I am here for the war fighters. For me it is a personal passion.
CORRESPONDENT: You’re not withdrawing your name from consideration just to clarify?
HEGSETH: I meet with senators all day.
Hegseth expressed his commitment to fighting for the “war fighters” in a post on Wednesday.
I do this for the war fighters, not the warmongers.
The left is afraid of disruptors and change agents. They are afraid of it @realDonaldTrump– and me. So they smear with imitation, anonymous sources and nonsense stories. They don’t want the truth.
Our warriors never give in, and neither do I. pic.twitter.com/nDQ5aUlv7i
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) December 4, 2024
I do this for the war fighters, not the warmongers.
The left is afraid of disruptors and change agents. They are afraid of it @realDonaldTrump– and me. So they smear with imitation, anonymous sources and nonsense stories. They don’t want the truth.
Our warriors never give in, and neither do I.
Hegseth and his wife have spent the last few days pressing the meat and working the halls of the Senate chambers. The high drama surrounding a weekend and week of a targeted campaign to derail his nomination continues, with allegations of drunkenness from anonymous former and current Fox News employees, allegations of sexual impropriety and the revelation of strained family relationships in the past. Hegseth is working against this by securing prior support and trying to convince noncommittal or conflicting senators that he is indeed the right choice for defense secretary.
Hegseth’s mother, Penelope, appeared on Fox & Friends Wednesday morning to defend her son, encourage Senate support for his nomination and denounce legacy media tactics against him. How all of this will impact Senators’ vote on Hegseth’s nomination remains to be seen, but for now, President-elect Trump appears to be in his corner and not backing down.
