President-elect Donald J. Trump is weighing the possibility of nominating Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a former Republican presidential contender, as his choice for Secretary of Defense, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing two individuals with knowledge of the discussions. The move would position Mr. DeSantis to succeed Pete Hegseth, whose path to Senate confirmation has grown increasingly uncertain following allegations of sexual misconduct and issues related to alcohol abuse.
Reports of Hegseth’s infidelity raised questions about his character and suitability for a role that oversees the military, where active-duty service members are held to strict codes of conduct, including potential prosecution for adultery under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Adding to the controversy is a rape complaint filed against Mr. Hegseth in October 2017, stemming from an alleged incident at a political conference in Monterey, Ca. While no charges were ever filed and the complainant has not made a public statement, the matter is likely to be a focal point for senators as they weigh his nomination.
Hegseth’s fate was sealed when an email he had received from his mother, Penelope Hegseth, back in 2018 reached the media:
“On behalf of all the women (and I know it’s many) you have abused in some way, I say … get some help and take an honest look at yourself,” Mrs. Hegseth wrote, adding that she still loved her son.
She also wrote: “I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth.”
Concerns over Pete Hegseth’s treatment of women began to surface in the weeks following his selection by President-elect Trump to lead the Pentagon. A veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hegseth now faces heightened scrutiny as these issues are expected to feature prominently in his upcoming Senate confirmation hearings.
Governor Ron DeSantis SLAMS Joe Biden for pardoning Hunter:
“This is a guy that came into office saying his predecessor was a threat to democracy. And what does he do?! He CORRUPTLY ABUSES the pardon power to give his son blanket immunity, and by extension protect himself.” pic.twitter.com/eG7UdvaD1n
— Proud Elephant ??? (@ProudElephantUS) December 4, 2024
As far as Israeli interests go, there’s little daylight between Hegseth and DeSantis on key issues, most notably the two-state solution. In March, Hegseth, in his capacity as host on a Fox News weekend show, interviewed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and criticized Qatar for playing a double game with Hamas. He called the ceasefire negotiations “blackmail by Hamas.” He also told the PM “There is no doubt that this is a struggle that Israel needs to end,” and lamented the calls in the media for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Last September, Gov. Desantis proclaimed, “It’s important for us in the United States to be very clear-eyed about what it means to be a strong ally of the State of Israel, and that means we should not embrace the canard of a two-state solution. That is not seeking to have peace. They are seeking that as a stepping stone to the destruction of the Jewish state, and that is not acceptable!”
He also said, “What you’re seeing on these college campuses, no question, is a lot of virulent antisemitism, a lot of hate. When you say, ‘From the River to the Sea’, you are chanting in favor of a second Holocaust. That’s what that means. I do think some of these students are just ignorant. I don’t think they even understand what they’re talking about. You hear some of them talking about ‘End the occupation of Palestine.’ And I just think they need a little history lesson: There has never been a Palestinian Arab state!”
