Thune has told Trump Hegseth HAS the votes for Defense Sec….

Does he?

Or is this a effort to keep Trump happy?

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has privately told President-elect Donald Trump that he believes Pete Hegseth will have the votes to be confirmed as Secretary of Defense, according to three sources.

When asked for comment, a spokesman for Thune would only tell CBS News, “Two things we don’t discuss publicly: Whip counts and private conversations with the president.”

The new Senate Majority Leader in an interview with “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” promised a fair process but expressed more caution.

“I think these are nominees who are new enough, they’ve been going around and conducting their meetings, which I think, frankly, have gone very well, but they still have to make their case in front of the committee. And, you know, we don’t know all the information about some of these nominees.”

Hegseth’s confirmation hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14, according to Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker.

Trump named Hegseth his pick for Defense Secretary on Nov. 12, a week after the election. Days later, Hegseth came under fire amid accusations of past sexual misconduct. An unidentified woman accused Hegseth of sexual assault in a Moneterey, California, hotel room in 2017.

Hegseth claimed the sexual encounter was consensual and prosecutors declined to file charges. Hegseth and the accuser reached a confidential financial settlement in 2023.

Hegseth has also faced questions about his management of a veterans’ organization he once led and NBC reported that Hegseth’s colleagues at Fox News were concerned about his alcohol consumption.

Hegseth has said he would not drink alcohol if he becomes Defense Secretary…..

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