President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard continue to try to shore up support with senators ahead of confirmation hearings next month.
Notably, Hegseth met with Democratic Senator John Fetterman, the first person he met with.
Gabbard was scheduled to meet with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, RS.D., on Thursday. He is also expected to meet with Bill Hagerty, a member of the Senate Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees.
It’s Gabbard’s first week touring Capitol Hill since Trump tapped her to oversee a sprawling network of 18 agencies in his new administration, despite her lack of intelligence experience.
A former Democratic congresswoman and member of the National Guard, Gabbard has faced scrutiny in 2017 for her controversial views on Syrian authoritarian leader Bashar Assad (whose regime was ousted this week) and Russia.
Tulsi Gabbard, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence, arrives for a meeting with Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee in Washington, Dec. 12, 2024.
Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Trump spoke about Gabbard and his other Cabinet picks at the time Conversation with time magazine’s “Person of the Year” honor. The interview took place on November 25.
Trump said he was surprised by Gabbard’s criticism.
“I mean, I think he’s a great American,” he said. “I think he’s a person with tremendous common sense. I’ve been watching him for years, and he has nothing to do with Russia. This is another, you know, mini Russia, Russia, Russia scam.”
Asked if he would reconsider his possible nomination if foreign allies began to withhold intelligence, Trump said: “I think probably if that’s happening. No, I don’t see it. Certainly if they can show me something.”
Hegseth, another Trump pick, is also back on Thursday to meet with senators, Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky and Democrat Fetterman.
Hegseth called Fetterman’s meeting “wonderful” and praised Fetterman as “independent.”
“Defense, as I said, is not political,” Hegseth told reporters. “National security is important to Democrats and Republicans – great conversation with the senator and that’s all I’ll say.”
Fetterman simply said they had a conversation and “there’s really no new news after that conversation.” Asked several times if Hegseth is willing to help, Fetterman did not respond.
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, and his wife Jennifer Rauchet move between meetings in the Russell Senate Office Building, December 12, 2024, in Washington.
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Hegseth faced backlash over allegations of sexual impropriety, public drunkenness and other misconduct, which he largely denied. But this week, it seemed like it was gaining the support of the Republicans.
Trump has redoubled his support for Hegseth, and his MAGA allies have pressured potential GOP skeptics. showed the first signs of paying off.
Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to head the FBI, was also spotted in the Senate corridors on Thursday. On Wednesday, current FBI Director Christopher Wray he announced that he would resign At the end of the Biden administration.
President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, attends a meeting Dec. 12, 2024, in Washington.
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Trump, in the Time interview, pressed him to install his cabinet picks if he was still considering recess appointments. Recessed appointments would avoid the Senate’s constitutionally mandated “consultation and concurrence” role regarding Cabinet officials. Trump made a request to be open to whoever leads the Senate Republican Conference in the new Congress.
“I don’t care how they get passed, as long as they get passed,” Trump said.
“But I think I have a very good relationship with Senator Thune and the others, everybody. I think I was very important to almost, almost all of them, a lot of them, if not this season, last season, the season before. , I would say more than half,” he added. Trump said.
Until now, a Trump election faced seemingly insurmountable opposition.
Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, accused of sexual misconduct, was also Trump’s first choice for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration as opposition to his selection mounted.
Trump was asked by Tim what he would do if the Senate refused his further options.
“Well, I don’t think they will,” he said. He told Gaetz, “You know, Matt, I don’t think this is worth the fight.”
