Sen. John Curtis said he’s decided to support President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Defense secretary, Pete Hegseth.
The Utah Republican was one of a few GOP senators who had not declared how he would vote on Hegseth’s nomination. This makes Hegseth much more likely to clinch the Cabinet position.
Curtis said “after careful consideration” he decided to support Hegseth, despite there being questions about past statements related to women in the military and allegations of sexual misconduct.
“While there are actions from his past that give me pause, I carefully weighed these concerns against his qualifications, leadership style, and commitment to bolstering the world’s most respected military,” Curtis said in a statement. “I am confident Mr. Hegseth shares my vision of ensuring our armed services are prepared to meet the evolving challenges of the 21st century.”
In recent days, Curtis addressed the need for senators to take their constitutional role of “advice and consent” very seriously.
At a Politico event Tuesday, Curtis said he would carefully consider each of Trump’s nominees, including their testimony at hearings, before making a decision.
He said, “I can’t make a good decision, whether it’s somebody that’s as controversial as Pete Hegseth or non-controversial as Marco Rubio, if I don’t look at the entire sheet of music.”
Curtis added that “we’re all flawed” and none are “perfect”: “I’m the first to tell you, you know, I have things in my past that if I were a nominee would be coming up,” Curtis said.
Hegseth appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday, answering questions for several hours about his service in the military and his personal life. Hegseth was also a Fox News host before being tapped by Trump for a Cabinet position.
In his statement released Wednesday evening, Curtis said before making his decision he met with Hegseth, spoke with people who knew him, watched his confirmation hearing and read things he’s written.
“Our military is need of a change agent who will challenge the status quo, demand transparency and accountability, and ensure our allies and strategic partners have confidence in America’s commitment and capability to stand for freedom,” he said.
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