After a meeting Monday with Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama told reporters that Hegseth would be “good” for the job.
Tuberville said Monday that he did not discuss his “personal” life with Hegseth, but later clarified that they had spoken by phone about allegations of misconduct against Hegseth.
“I’m going to leave personal things between you and him to sit down with you whenever he has a chance to explain the allegations that you all are making,” Tuberville told reporters.
Pete Hegseth, left, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, meets with Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 2, 2024.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
In 2017, Hegseth paid the settlement agreement accused a woman of sexual assault, Hegseth attorney Tim Parlatore previously confirmed. Parlator said Hegseth was the victim of “blackmail” and “false allegations of sexual assault,” and said she only paid the settlement because she feared her career would suffer if her allegations became public.
According to A 22 page police report Obtained by ABC News, Hegseth’s accuser told police he took her phone and blocked her from leaving the hotel room the night of the incident.
On Sunday, again The New Yorker He published an investigation into Hegseth, “a trail of documents, corroborating accounts from former colleagues, indicates that two nonprofit advocacy groups that Hegseth led — Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans — were forced to resign. America – financial in the face of serious allegations of mismanagement, sexual impropriety and misconduct.”
The New York Times On Friday, Hegseth’s mother, Penelope Hegseth, released an email she sent him in 2018, alleging the woman had routinely abused him over the years. Penelope Hegseth confirmed the content of the email to the New York Times in a telephone interview, but told the Times in an interview that she regretted the original sentiments expressed in the email and sent an immediate follow-up message to her son, expressing her regret. he said
ABC News has not independently confirmed the New Yorker or New York Times report.
President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth leaves a meeting with Sen. Tommy Tuberville on Capitol Hill, December 2, 2024, in Washington.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Speaking to reporters after their meeting, Tuberville praised Hegseth and brushed aside questions about his alleged misconduct.
“I’ve known him for a long time. Pete is the type of guy who will work. He has a great work ethic. He’s very, very smart. He understands the business side as well as the military.” said Tuberville. “Actually, he’s been in wars. He’s a good age, too. Someone who can relate to the young men and women we need to recruit into the military.”
Asked if he was troubled by any of the allegations in the New Yorker article, Tuberville left it up to Hegseth to explain.
“Well, I’ll leave that all to his explanation. I can’t comment on that,” he said. “Obviously, to some extent, people won’t vote for confirmation, but when I talk about what I’ve read, what I’ve learned and what I’ve been around, I’ll vote. for him.”
As Tuberville asked question after question about Hegseth’s allegations, Hegseth was asked whether he should vigorously defend himself and give an explanation to the American people.
“That’s about it,” Tuberville said. “Eventually he’s going to have to come out and start visiting with the media. I think right now, you know, his main goal is to go out and sell himself to at least 51 or 52 senators. That’s the job he needs to do. Confirm.”
Tuberville mentioned that a dozen senators are meeting with Hegseth as a group Monday night, but did not elaborate.
