Thune sets up votes to confirm Hegseth by week’s end

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) put the procedural wheels in motion to confirm embattled secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth by the end of the week.

Senate Republicans are moving ahead quickly on Hegseth’s nomination despite an affidavit from his former sister-in-law obtained by Senate Democrats that accuses him of having an alcohol problem and being abusive to his ex-wife Samantha Hegseth.

Samantha Hegseth issued a statement to NBC News denying there was “physical abuse” in their marriage.

Thune on Tuesday filed a motion to end debate on Pete Hegseth’s nomination, which was voted out of the Senate Armed Services Committee on a party-line, 14-13 vote a few hours after President Trump took the oath of office.

That means the Senate will vote to advance Hegseth’s nomination sometime Thursday, setting up a final vote sometime Friday and, possibly, early Saturday morning.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) told reporters that Republicans are willing to work into the weekend to confirm him.

“The next would be on cloture, and that would be Thursday afternoon,” Wicker told reporters.

Wicker dismissed the affidavit alleging that Samantha Hegseth once hid in her closet from the nominee because she feared for her safety.

“I have not reviewed the document. My reaction is that I have grave doubts as to the substance,” Wicker told reporters.

Wicker pointed to Samantha Hegseth’s statement denying that there was any physical abuse in the relationship.

“I think the nomination is going to go forward and the next vote is going to be Thursday,” he said.

He said Democrats could delay a final vote on Hegseth until “late on Friday night.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a prominent Republican vote on national security issues, dismissed the latest allegation.

“I heard what his wife said. It didn’t happen. I’m getting tired of this stuff being dropped at the last moment,” Graham said.

“You got the person who denies being physically abused. That’s it for me,” he said.

Asked about the sworn claims from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law that the nominee frequently drank to excess, Graham waved off the question: “Nah, I’m good.”

He reiterated he would vote for Hegseth.

Democrats said the affidavit is the latest evidence that Hegseth is unfit to lead the Pentagon.

“These firsthand observations are highly significant and credible and hopefully will persuade my Republican colleagues that Hegseth is unfit to be secretary of Defense,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Armed Services panel.

“There was no question that Pete Hegseth is unqualified and unprepared to be secretary of Defense. The affidavit adds additional weight to a case that is already overwhelming against him,” he added.

Senators will move to Hegseth on Thursday after voting to confirm former Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) to serve as CIA director earlier in the day.

Republicans had tried to confirm Ratcliffe to the post on Tuesday evening, meeting resistance from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

“I just think we should have a full debate on Ratcliffe. A lot of us have real reservations about somebody with a history of politicizing intelligence, like they demanded a full debate on most all of Biden’s Cabinet and sub-Cabinet nominees,” Murphy told The Hill.

“I think it’s pretty rich that Republicans blocked hundreds of Biden’s national security nominees and are now complaining when we’re simply asking for two days of debate on one of the most important members of Trump’s national security team,” he said.

Thune said Tuesday evening that he now expects the next procedural vote on Hegseth to take place Thursday and a final vote to happen late Friday or “conceivably” early Saturday morning.

Topics

Cassidy will vote to confirm Hegseth

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) announced that he will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s pick for Defense Secretary, increasing the nominee's chances of becoming the next head of the ...
The Hill - 4d
Trump allies reacting to Hegseth's Senate confirmation hearing

President-elect Donald Trump's allies are reacting favorably to Pete Hegseth's performance during his Senate confirmation hearing for the secretary of defense Cabinet role. CBS News' Olivia Rinaldi ...
CBS News - Jan. 14
Pete Hegseth’s tense confirmation hearing ends with no sign of Republican defections against Trump’s Pentagon pick – live

Democrats appeared skeptical of Hegseth’s qualifications to lead the Pentagon and grilled him on sexual assault allegations and women in the military. ‘I’m not perfect’: Hegseth testifies on ...
The Guardian - Jan. 14
Behind Pete Hegseth's explosive Senate confirmation hearing

Pete Hegseth faced intense questioning from the Senate Armed Services Committee as he vies for the secretary of defense post in President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet. CBS News' Taurean Small and ...
CBS News - Jan. 14
Pete Hegseth is expected to be grilled in confirmation hearing

President-elect Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, is expected to be grilled during his confirmation hearing over allegations of sexual and financial misconduct and alcohol abuse. ...
NBC News - Jan. 13
Oil futures end higher, with Brent turning up for the week

Oil futures gained on Thursday, with global benchmark prices turning higher for the week and buoyed by optimism over the outlook for demand.
MarketWatch - Jan. 9
Senate approves committee assignments, tees up confirmation hearings next week

The Senate on Tuesday approved its organizing resolution for the 119th Congress, officially setting the composition of committees and greenlighting nomination hearings to take place in the coming ...
The Hill - Jan. 7
Bondi, Rollins, Zeldin set for confirmation hearings next week

Politico - Jan. 6
Thune has privately told Trump that Hegseth has the votes to be confirmed, sources say

When asked for comment, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader John Thune said "two things we don't discuss publicly: Whip counts and private conversations with the president."
CBS News - Jan. 5