Thursday on FNC’s “America’s Newsroom,” Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) declined to support former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary.
The Iowa Republican said that the vetting process needed to continue.
“I did have a very long, lengthy discussion with Pete yesterday,” she said. “I appreciate his service to the nation. I, too, am also a combat veteran. So we talked about a number of those issues and will continue with the vetting process. I think that is incredibly important. So again, all I’m saying is we had a very frank and productive discussion. And I know we will continue to have conversation in the upcoming months.”
“[I] think for a number of our senators, they want to make sure that any allegations have been cleared and that’s why we have to have a very thorough vetting process,” Ernst said. “That’s why I was happy to sit down with Pete and have that conversation with him yesterday. So again, all I will say at this time is we did have a very thorough discussion over a number of those issues. And the vetting will continue, I am certain, through the next month or so until we approach that hearing date.”
Follow Jeff Poor on X @jeff_poor