Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) showed his support Friday for Pete Hegseth, newly elected President Donald Trump’s embattled Defense Secretary, despite what he called his “indiscretions.”
“Look, we’ve all had indiscretions and things like that in our past – every person has that. But a lot of sadness,” Roy said in an interview with the right-wing “Charlie Kirk Show” on the Real America’s Voice network.
“Pete Hegseth, you know, he has the support of so many people, and he represents someone who would take on the defense establishment. And we need that, we really need that.”
Roy’s comments come as the former Fox News host faces mounting criticism amid allegations of excessive alcohol consumption financial mismanagement that reportedly forced him out of the leadership of two veteran nonprofits. He has also been accused of assaulting women, including in one statement of rape in connection with a 2017 incident. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing and said the 2017 encounter was consensual.
Trump – who has reportedly been considering other possible Defense Secretary choices, such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), to replace Hegseth – took to his Truth Social platform Friday to declare that the former Fox News host is a “WINNER,” adding that “nothing can be done to change that.”
The president-elect, in a video of one “Meet the press” interview which airs on Sunday, said he has “real” confidence in Hegseth.
“He’s a very smart guy. I know him through Fox, but I’ve known him for a long time. And he’s actually a soldier. Every time I talk to him, all he wants to talk about is the military,” Trump said.
On Real America’s Voice, Roy said Hegseth is “under fire” in the Senate because of “soft senators who have been against everything we want to do.”
“So I hope Pete holds the whole line,” Roy said. “I defend him, and we all have to defend him.”
Democracy in balance
Support JS
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.