A supposedly conservative GOP senator from a very red state that President-elect Donald Trump handily won in 2016, 2020, and 2024 has reportedly been at the center of a “plot” to derail former Fox News host Pete Hegseth’s nomination to be secretary of defense. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) has been waging what has been described as an “‘aggressive’ personal jihad” against Hegseth, according to a report from The Federalist.
Multiple sources close to Trump revealed to the outlet that Ernst has personally called the president-elect multiple times, urging him to withdraw Hegseth’s nomination. One such call reportedly occurred shortly before Ernst met with Hegseth in her office on Wednesday afternoon. During the meeting, Ernst did not disclose her efforts to oppose his nomination but engaged in what was described as a “frank and thorough discussion” with him. In an X post announcing the meeting, Ernst, an Iraq war veteran and retired Army National Guard officer, stated that she appreciates “Pete Hegseth’s service to our country, something we both share,” though the senator did not indicate whether she plans to support his nomination.
“She’s waging a campaign to replace Pete with herself,” a Trump source familiar with the conversation told The Federalist. When asked about potentially filling the roll by The Hill reporter Alex Bolton, Ernst opted not to give a direct answer. “Pete is the nominee,” she said. The report surfaces as Hegseth continues to face a wave of unproven allegations from several media outlets critical of Trump, including The New York Times and Breitbart News.
Hegseth, a Fox News host and veteran of multiple tours in the War on Terror, was initially accused of sexually assaulting a woman during a 2017 conference. However, a police report casts significant doubt on the accusation. Testimony from multiple witnesses and surveillance footage indicate that the encounter was consensual. Additionally, Hegseth appeared visibly intoxicated when the accuser, who remains unnamed, led him away from the hotel bar.
Another report from NBC News citing several “anonymous sources” claimed that Hegseth would often show up to work at Fox smelling of alcohol. But dozens of former co-hosts, guests, and contributors to the network have since gone on the record refuting the allegations as “bullshit.” Meanwhile, the New York Post reported this week that “zero” Republican senators are privately opposed to Hegseth’s nomination, according to several sources.