Pete Hegseth appears to have won over a prominent holdout in his quest to serve as President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Defense secretary.
Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst signaled support for Hegseth’s nomination following their meeting Monday afternoon.
“I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst said in a statement following the meeting. “Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and values of our service men and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas — and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks.” (EXCLUSIVE: Hegseth Confirmation Battle Heats Up With New Ad Targeting Joni Ernst)
“As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair…
