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By Sonam Sheth
Evening Politics Editor
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South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said Tuesday that it will be "difficult" for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, to get confirmed by the Senate.
Graham called the allegations against Hegseth "disturbing," telling CBS News, "I think some of these articles are very disturbing. He obviously has a chance to defend himself here, but some of this stuff is it's going to be difficult..."
Hegseth was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017. He has not been charged over the matter.
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The accuser filed a police report, which was obtained by the media outlet Mediaite last month, detailing the allegation. She alleged that Hegseth sexually assaulted her after he prevented her from leaving a hotel room following the California Federation of Republican Women convention in October 2017.
When news of the police report broke, Graham told NBC News the Senate would not "try" Hegseth based on "press statements. When Graham, a staunch Trump ally, was told that the allegations were outlined in a police report, he responded, "I don't care."
Hegseth came under additional scrutiny this week, when the New Yorker reported that he was intoxicated several times while he was the CEO of the Koch-backed group Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) between 2013 and 2016.
The former Fox News host was so intoxicated that he needed "to be carried out of the organization's events," the report said. Hegseth responded to the allegations on Monday, telling reporters: "Not gonna dignify that with a response."
Newsweek reached out to Hegseth's attorney and the Trump transition team for comment on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the transition team told Newsweek earlier in the afternoon that Trump stands behind Hegseth.
"The President stands firmly behind Pete as his Secretary of Defense nominee, recognizing his service to our nation and his dedication to putting America First. The Polymarket (betting) odds may fluctuate, but the President's confidence in Pete remains unwavering," the statement said.
Trump nominated Hegseth for secretary of defense shortly after winning the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The former Fox News host is viewed as one of Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks. He's viewed to lack leadership experience in Washington and in the military. Hegseth has also previously said that women should not serve in combat roles.
Hegseth served in Afghanistan and Iraq and left the National Guard in 2021 after he was labeled an "extremist," according to Reuters.
Trump's decision to nominate Hegseth came as a surprise to Republican senators, since he was not on the list of contenders to lead the Pentagon.
"Wow," Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski said in response to the nomination last month, according to Punchbowl News senior congressional reporter Andrew Desiderio.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis called the choice "interesting," Desiderio posted on X, formerly Twitter. Senator Bill Cassidy didn't know who Hegseth was, according to NBC's Frank Thorp, and Senator Todd Young said he didn't "have a sense" about Hegseth's background, Fox News' Chad Pergram posted on X.
Update: 12/3/24, 4:46 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with more information.
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