'Political price to pay': Trump orbit expected to ramp up Ernst criticisms while she withholds Hegseth support
Hegseth met with Ernst last week as he rallies support for his SecDef nomination
Cameron Cawthorne Fox News
Published December 8, 2024 1:50pm EST
President-elect Donald Trump’s allies are expected to ramp up criticisms against Republican Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst as she stalls on offering support to Trump’s secretary of defense pick, Pete Hegseth.
"It's really this simple: If you oppose President Trump's nominees, you oppose the Trump agenda and there will be a political price to pay for that. We are well aware that there are certain establishment Senators trying to tank the President's nominees to make him look weak and damage him politically, and we're just not going to allow that to happen," a top Trump ally told Fox News Digital.
Trump nominated Hegseth, a former National Guard officer, as secretary of defense last month, saying "with Pete at the helm, America's enemies are on notice — Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down." Hegseth was a host on "Fox & Friends Weekend" before Trump's nomination.
Hegseth has since been on Capitol Hill meeting with Republican senators to rally support as he battles allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/political-price-pay-trump-orbit-expected-ramp-up-ernst-criticisms-while-she-withholds-hegseth-support
