Trump's Defense Nominee Launches Counterattack as Confirmation Support Grows for Hegseth

What a difference a week makes.

On Tuesday, Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's defense secretary nominee, will meet with more Republican senators, strengthening his once uncertain nomination.

Despite Hegseth's confirmation being uncertain, a public statement of support from Trump, private efforts by Vice President-elect Sen. JD Vance, and Hegseth's determination have revived a nomination that seemed to be on the brink of failure.

"In an interview on Planet Chronicle' "Hannity" on Monday night, Hegseth expressed his confidence and stated, "We eagerly anticipate obtaining these affirmative votes.""

In order to protect controversial Cabinet picks, including Hegseth, Trump's political orbit has been exerting pressure to bolster him in the wake of former Rep. Matt Gaetz's failed confirmation bid.

According to a longtime Trump world adviser who spoke to Planet Chronicle, if Trump world had allowed a couple of establishment senators to veto a second nominee, it would have led to a feeding frenzy on Trump's other nominees. The thinking in Trump world was that they had to defend Pete not just for the sake of defending Pete, but also for the sake of defending their other nominees.

An Army National Guard officer who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, and was a Planet Chronicle host for many years, has been the subject of numerous reports highlighting allegations of drinking, sexual misconduct, and mismanagement of a veterans nonprofit organization he previously led.

Hegseth has denied allegations of mistreating women but reached a financial settlement with an accuser from a 2017 incident to avoid a lawsuit. He has pledged not to drink any alcohol if confirmed as defense secretary.

Hours after meeting with Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, Trump's defense secretary nominee was interviewed. Ernst, the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate and a member of the Armed Services Committee, will hold Hegseth's confirmation hearings.

In the confirmation battle over Hegseth, Ernst, a conservative senator elected in 2014, is viewed as a crucial vote due to his past statements questioning the role of women in combat.

The senator, who is a survivor of sexual assault, has a strong legislative record of addressing sexual assault and harassment in the military.

Ernst wrote in a statement Monday that he supports Pete through the process and looks forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.

Ernst highlighted that after our motivational discussions, Pete pledged to conduct a comprehensive audit of the Pentagon and appoint a senior official who will adhere to the roles and values of our service members – based on excellence and standards, not targets – and who will prioritize and fortify my efforts to combat sexual assault within the military.

During an interview with Sean Hannity on Planet Chronicle, Hegseth stated that the meeting was excellent. Although many people may not be aware, Hegseth has known Sen. Ernst for more than a decade.

"You attend meetings with senators and listen to their thoughtful, serious, and substantive discussions on key Defense Department issues. Joni Ernst is a standout in these meetings. Having frequent phone calls and meetings with her to discuss these issues is crucial. Her support throughout the process means a lot."

Ernst stated on social media that her conversation with Hegseth was "frank and thorough" following their initial meeting last week.

In an interview on Planet Chronicle' "America's Newsroom," the senator admitted that she was not ready to vote to confirm Hegseth.

Even Graham, a longtime Trump ally in the Senate, was expressing serious concerns about Hegseth's nomination.

Last week, it was reported that Trump was considering nominating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as defense secretary as a possible replacement for Hegseth's nomination.

But on Friday, Trump took to social media to praise Hegseth.

The president-elect commended Hegseth's strong and deep support, which is more substantial than the Fake News, in a high-profile network TV interview over the weekend.

Vance, who will remain a senator from Ohio until he assumes the vice presidency, has been quietly building support for Hegseth among his fellow Republican senators.

A source close to Vance's political circle informed Planet Chronicle that JD has been Pete's biggest internal supporter in Trump's world and has spent considerable time recently helping to rally support for Pete among his Senate colleagues.

Trump's political team and allies intensified their support for Hegseth, fueled by grassroots enthusiasm.

Corey Lewandowski, a longtime Trump outside adviser, stated to Planet Chronicle that they will utilize all available resources to target U.S. senators who vote against Donald Trump's Cabinet picks or his other nominees.

The president-elect's oldest son and MAGA supporter used social media to criticize wavering Republican senators.

Don Trump Jr. tweeted, "If you're a GOP Senator who voted for Lloyd Austin but criticized @PeteHegseth, you might be in the wrong political party."

When Ernst faces re-election in 2026, MAGA allies quickly targeted him with talk of a primary challenge.

Turning Point USA, co-founded and led by influential conservative activist and radio and TV host Charlie Kirk, has already secured funding and is preparing to launch primaries. Donors are calling in droves to support the cause.

Joni Ernst warned that supporting the president's agenda may not guarantee a safe primary, especially if you frequently go up against Pete Hegseth on your radio program.

In a column on Breitbart, Attorney General Brenna Bird, a supporter of Trump in the Iowa presidential caucuses, advocated for Hegseth's confirmation.

Bird criticized politicians in Washington who disregard their constituents' voices and engage in negative attacks, citing examples of how the same outlets that have spread falsehoods for years have been used to smear them.

Steve Deace, a longtime conservative commentator and media personality from Iowa, revealed on social media and through his radio program that he would consider challenging Ernst in a primary election.

Deace, who backed DeSantis in the Iowa caucuses, stated that he would primary Ernst for the sake of the cause if he received Trump's support. Alternatively, he would support someone else preferred by Trump to primary Ernst.

Also helping Hegseth is his defiance.

On Thursday, Hegseth informed reporters that "this will not be a process tried in the media. I don’t answer to anyone in this group. None of you, not to that camera at all. I answer to President Trump, who received 76 million votes on behalf... and a mandate for change. I answer to the 100 senators who are part of this process and those in the committee. And I answer to my Lord and Savior and my wife and my family."

On Planet Chronicle' "Hannity," Hegseth accused the left of attempting to transform the media into a show trial, and he vowed to prevent it from happening.

This story was contributed to by Emma Colton, Cameron Cawthorne, Tyler Olson, and Chad Pergram of Planet Chronicle.