Donald Trump, who won the US presidential election, in an interview with NBC News, expressed confidence that Pete Hegseth, his proposed candidate for the post of head of the Pentagon, would be confirmed in the Senate.
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Trump previously proposed giving the post of Secretary of Defense to TV host and former military man Pete Hegseth. As Politico reported, the decision caused shock in Washington. The New Yorker previously reported that Hegseth was fired from two veterans’ advocacy groups for regularly being drunk and obscene at work, as well as for misappropriating corporate funds. The media also reported that colleagues noticed the smell of alcohol on Hegseth before the broadcasts. The Hill newspaper reported that Hegseth promised to stop drinking if appointed.
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“Pete seems to be doing well right now. Yeah, people were a little concerned… he loves the military and I think people are starting to notice… Yeah (I’m still confident in his candidacy), he’s a very smart guy… I think he will ( confirmed). Many senators called me and said he was amazing,” Donald Trump said.
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The presenter drew attention to the fact that Trump himself does not drink and asked if he had concerns about the fact that Hegseth, according to his colleagues, has problems with alcohol.
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“I’ve talked to people who know him well, and they say he doesn’t have a drinking problem,” Trump responded.
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According to the Hill, some senators believe Hegseth could be a good choice to lead the Pentagon, citing his military experience and lack of close ties to a group of generals at the Pentagon who typically oppose big change.
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Earlier, American media reported that Trump may nominate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a replacement for Hegseth as a nominee for the post of head of the military department. On Wednesday, Hegseth said Trump does not want him to recuse himself, and he himself does not intend to recuse himself amid criticism.
