Trump team keeping Hegseth on board to divert focus from other troubled nominee: insiders
Former Democrat and lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard (HI) is visiting Capitol Hill this week in an effort to persuade senators that she can be trusted to handle the United States' most closely guarded secrets as Donald Trump's pick for director of national intelligence.
NBC News noted Wednesday that, "Gabbard’s bid has been largely overshadowed by other embattled picks, including Trump’s choice to lead the Defense Department, Pete Hegseth."
"Hegseth currently lacks the votes to be confirmed in the Republican-led Senate after allegations about his treatment of women and consumption of alcohol surfaced," the report said.
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And two sources with knowledge of the Trump transition told NBC that Hegseth is only staying in the game to "shield Gabbard from standing in the spotlight on her own."
When asked, however, Trump's team called the claim "completely false."
“President Trump has nominated highly-respected leaders who will serve our nation with excellence. The President and the Transition team are supportive of all our nominees and expect all of them to be confirmed," the campaign said in a statement.
"Her path to confirmation is littered with roadblocks, the report said of Gabbard.
Some senators have questioned her close relationships with Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad and her outspoken support of authoritarian regimes. Russian state television has celebrated her nomination, calling her a Russian "comrade."
Then there's the concern about her political evolution. It wasn't long ago that Gabbard ran for president as a Democrat.
It's enough to give even Republican members of the Senate Intelligence Committee pause.
One of the committee members is Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), who supports Ukraine fighting back against the Russian invasion despite being a Trump ally.
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