‘Highest Honor’: Pete Hegseth Secures Powerful Endorsement For Confirmation

Embattled defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth entered his second week in the trenches with a powerful endorsement from dozens of military veterans and service members who praised the former combat fighter for his tenacity and willingness to stand tough in the face of frivolous accusations.

Signed as a “statement of support” from the “soldiers who served with Pete Hegseth,” their letter, released Monday, praises the Hegseth they knew and served under in Guantanamo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other forward operating bases around the world. “We come from all ranks and different experiences, but have one core thing in common: we FULLY support Pete Hegseth’s nomination to be the next Secretary of Defense,” the group writes. “His selfless leadership, love of his soldiers, and commitment to the country are unparalleled. And his tireless dedication to those things has never stopped and never wavered. He is the fighter we served with, and the fighter our troops need today.”

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“The support of my men is the highest honor. They are the best of the best, and why we are doing this,” Hegseth replied on X as he shared the news.

The support of my men is the highest honor. They are the best of the best, and why we are doing this. https://t.co/PZyjjzR08y

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) December 10, 2024

The letter, first obtained by the Daily Caller, bolsters Hegseth’s chances of leading the U.S. Department of Defense despite anonymous accusations that he drank on the job and sexually harassed female subordinates while poorly managing two charitable organizations serving veterans. Ammunition used against the former Fox News anchor includes a 2018 letter from his mother where she accused him of mistreating his ex-wife during their divorce. Last week, Penelope Hegseth took to “Fox & Friends,” where she reiterated her immediate rescission of the letter and charged the New York Times with using scurrilous tactics to bait her into giving a comment about a forthcoming story. Fox News colleagues have also come forward, saying they never saw Hegseth act less than professional on set.

Previous reports suggested that President-elect Donald Trump was seriously considering replacing Hegseth’s nomination with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis but was ambivalent about what discarding Hegseth might do to his other controversial nominees, including Kash Patel for FBI director. On Monday, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), a key Republican who is one of the few holdouts, praised Hegseth for participating in a “good conversation” where several concessions were extracted. “Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas — and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks,” Ernst said in the statement to the Washington Post.

“The fact that she’s willing to support me through this process means a lot,” Hegseth wrote soon after on social media. He praised Ernst, a combat veteran who has taken issue with his previous assertion that female soldiers should not be placed in combat roles. “Some of our greatest warriors, our best warriors out there, are women who serve, raise the right hand and defend this country, and love our nation,” he added.

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