U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville appeared on FOX Business Network with Larry Kudlow to discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, a fact that has raised questions about his appointment. He’s denied the allegations, insisting the encounter was consensual. Hegseth ultimately paid his accuser an undisclosed amount in exchange for her staying quiet.
Tuberville said, “a lot of this stuff was years ago” and that Hegseth had “done everything he possibly can do to get it out there to talk to people.”
“Again, when we get to the hearings, probably somewhere around January 9 or 10, Larry, it’s gonna be about the military. It’s not gonna be about his past,” said Tuberville.
Tuberville claimed that despite possible pushback from Democrats, Hegseth was what they needed to strengthen the military.
“He’s gonna work well with the military. He’s gonna build it back. He’s the type of person we have to have for all military, not just the Army, the Navy, the Air Force,” said Tuberville. “… Pete Hegseth and the Republican Party can push this, and we can get our military back to the way it should be.”
Tuberville met with Hegseth recently and spoke highly of his qualifications and “renewed focus.”
“Pete Hegseth will be a great Secretary of Defense. He is a decorated veteran and a true patriot,” said Tuberville. “As I told him, we don’t need a General Officer, Admiral, or a ‘person of high command.’ We need a Drill Sergeant in the military. We need somebody to straighten the military out – to get the woke, DEI affiliation out. I know he is the right choice to bring change and renewed focus to the Pentagon.”
“We’ve got to build it back and Pete’s got to do it, Larry,” said Tuberville.
