The confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth reportedly took place earlier in the day, and Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, announced on Tuesday evening that she had made the decision to vote in favor of confirming him as Secretary of Defense.
Ernst made these comments as he was being interviewed by Simon Conway on the radio station NEWSRADIO 1040 WHO.
Ernst was the most significant obstacle that Hegseth had to overcome on the path to being confirmed.
Before the full Senate could vote on whether or not to confirm him, he had to first be removed from the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“He was adequately able to answer all of my questions, he pointed out the woke issues at the Pentagon, and I think we are [at] a point where now we can start moving forward. People know where he stands on these issues, so I felt it was a good hearing.” Ernst said.
“Yes, I will be supporting President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth.” Ernst said in response when asked if she would vote to confirm Hegseth.
In the past, Hegseth has been subjected to scrutiny due to his wrongdoing, some of which he has admitted to, while at the same time he has vehemently rejected claims that were made in stories that were sourced anonymously.
Ernst, a Republican, has represented Iowa in the U.S. Senate since 2015. Ernst, a native of Red Oak, Iowa, is a retired lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard and a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
She was the inaugural woman elected to public office from Iowa and the first female combat veteran in the Senate. Ernst is known for her advocacy for rural America, fiscal conservatism, and national defense, Ernst has promoted causes including government accountability, veterans’ rights, and agricultural policy in the past.
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