Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Sen. John Curtis supports Pete Hegseth for defense secretary despite past allegations swirling around President-elect Donald Trump's nominee.
- Curtis said in a statement that he thinks Hegseth shares his vision of the future of U.S. armed forces.
- Sen. Mike Lee has previously voiced strong support for Hegseth, saying the nominee "knows our military must be feared and lethal."
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Curtis backs Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's controversial pick to serve as secretary of defense.
In a statement Wednesday, the Republican Utah lawmaker said he'd vote for Hegseth to lead the U.S. Department of Defense, citing what he says is their common vision regarding U.S. military forces. At the same time, Curtis, without getting specific, alluded to the allegations Hegseth has faced of heavy drinking, sexual assault, disdainful comments of women in the military and more.
"While there are actions from his past that give me pause, I carefully weighed these concerns against his qualifications, leadership style and commitment to bolstering the world's most respected military. I am confident Mr. Hegseth shares my vision of ensuring our armed services are prepared to meet the evolving challenges of the 21st century," Curtis said.
He went on, alluding to Hegseth's potential role as a "change agent" given his nontraditional background, at least for a defense secretary nominee. Hegseth himself and some of his backers have used that phrase in describing the nominee. "Our military is need of a change agent who will challenge the status quo, demand transparency and accountability and ensure our allies and strategic partners have confidence in America's commitment and capability to stand for freedom," Curtis said.
As of Tuesday, Curtis hadn't publicly said if he'd support Hegseth, while his Utah counterpart, Sen. Mike Lee, has been offering supportive comments since at least last December.
Hegseth "is the leader we need at DOD," Lee, also a Republican, wrote in an X post on Tuesday. In a post on Dec. 9, Lee lauded Hegseth, saying he "loves our country," "hates the military industrial complex" and "knows our military must be feared and lethal."
In his at-times heated hearing Tuesday before the Senate Armed Forces Committee, Hegseth faced scathing comments and criticism from Democrats given the allegations of drinking and sexual assault and what some critics see as his limited experience. Hegseth has rebuffed sexual assault charges and charged he is target of a smear campaign by Democrats.
