Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), a key GOP vote in the Senate’s confirmation of Trump nominees, has recently come under fire for her opposition to Pete Hegseth’s nomination as Secretary of Defense.
On Sunday, she announced plans to meet with Hegseth but remained vague on whether she would vote to confirm him.
On Monday, Ernst met with Hegseth in what Hegseth described as a “very good meeting.”
Hegseth, who has known Ernst for 10 years, shared, “The more we talk, the more we are reminded that we are two combat veterans and we are dedicated to defense.”
.@hegseth emerges from a second meeting with Sen. Ernst calling it a “very good meeting.” He said he’s known her for 10 years, “the more we talk, the more we are reminded that we are two combat veterans and we are dedicated to defense.” pic.twitter.com/xkEoKdoiCH
— Samantha-Jo Roth (@SamanthaJoRoth) December 9, 2024
Ernst faced growing pressure from voters for her unwillingness to pledge support for Hegseth, who has the full force of MAGA behind him. It appears that the public pressure she was facing moved the needle, and Ernst announced her intention to support Hegseth.
VICTORY – Joni Ernst confirms she now supports Pete Hegseth for SecDef
Make no mistake, YOU are the reason she did this
She wants more wars & hates the MAGA movement, but we raised our voices & forced her to get in line or get the hell out of the Senate
Keep going!! pic.twitter.com/44mzV6L0Ja
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) December 9, 2024
Following their meeting, Ernst issued a statement in support of Hegseth’s nomination.
“I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process. Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the rules and values of our service men and women based on quality and standards not quotas- and he will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks.”
“As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.’
Joni Ernst now says in a statement that she supports Hegseth’s nomination for Defense secretary. pic.twitter.com/sHE3dHRHxI
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) December 9, 2024
Last week, as The Gateway Pundit reported, Ernst said she is not yet a “yes” vote on Hegseth after meeting with him privately.
Her trepidation is in sharp contrast to her favorably vote for Joe Biden’s incompetent DEI Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin.
In fact, Ernst voted to confirm nine of Biden’s 21 Cabinet Nominees who helped him destroy the country.
Ernst has also been accused of waging an aggressive campaign to derail Hegseth’s nomination, according to sources close to Trump.
Last week, it was revealed that Ernst had been making direct appeals to former President Donald Trump, urging him to withdraw Hegseth’s nomination and positioning herself as a potential replacement.
The Federalist also reported that Ernst has not only called Trump multiple times but also hinted at rallying female senators against Hegseth if Trump doesn’t reconsider the nomination.
The MAGA movement made it very clear that Ernst may well face a challenger in her next Senate primary, with Trump-endorsed Arizona Senate candidate and Iowa native Kari Lake emerging as a top contender for the seat.
