Jan. 15 (UPI) — Sen. Joni Ernst said she will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as the next secretary of defense, making the controversial nominee’s path to the helm of the Pentagon more likely.
The Republican from Iowa made the announcement on a local news radio show and in a statement after Hegseth on Tuesday testified during a sometimes tense confirmation hearing of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, on which Ernst sits.
“I will support President [Donald] Trump’s pick for secretary of defense,” she said in the statement released Tuesday by her office.
“As I serve on the Armed Services Committee, I will work with Pete to create the most lethal fighting force and hold him to his commitments of auditing the Pentagon, ensuring opportunity for women in combat while maintaining high standards and selecting a senior official to address and prevent sexual assault in the ranks.”
Hegseth, 44, requires a majority vote of the 100-seat Senate, which the Republicans control by three seats, to be confirmed as secretary of defense. As all Democrats are expected to vote against him, only four GOP senators are needed to cross the aisle to prevent his confirmation.
With Ernst’s support, the probability that the Army veteran and Fox News host will be confirmed as the head of the Pentagon increases, as she was among a handful of senators whose votes on Hegseth previously unknown.
Ahead of her announcement, it was unclear which way Ernst’s vote would vote. she is a combat veteran, a survivor of sexual assault and a supporter of women in the military, while Hegseth has been accused of sexual assault, alcohol abuse and mismanagement of a veterans nonprofit organization’s finances. He has also made comments as recently as November that women shouldn’t serve in combat roles.
In addition to the allegations, Hegseth has been criticized as being underqualified for the job.
During his confirmation hearing Tuesday, Democrats grilled Hegseth over his previous disparaging remarks against women in the military, allegations of sexual assault and perceived inexperience.
Notably, he failed to name any members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations while being questioned by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill, on his knowledge of the role the defense secretary and U.S. military play internationally.
Ernst made the announcement after what she described during the hearing as several productive and “frank” conversations with Hegseth.
During the hearing, Ernst did not veer from GOP talking points and concerns, such as Pentagon spending, while offering Hegseth opportunities to reiterate to his pledges.
In an interview with Simon Conway on WHO New Radio 1040, Ernst said she supports Hegseth’s stance of purging so-called woke issues and leadership from the Department of Defense, highlighting the false claim of the Biden administration focusing on electric tanks.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also made a statement of support of Hegseth’s nomination following Tuesday’s hearing.
“Pete did a very good job answering difficult questions at today’s hearing while laying out a vision to reform the Pentagon and to be the warfighter’s biggest champion,” Graham said.
“Democratic attacks were overly personal and fall flat,” he added.
Trump announced Hegseth as his pick for the Pentagon in November, calling him “tough, smart and a true believer in America first.”
“Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our ‘Peace through Strength’ policy,” Trump said.