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By Ewan Palmer
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A number of MAGA figures have criticized Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham after he expressed concerns about allegations against Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for defense secretary.
A recent New Yorker report, citing a whistleblower report and interviews with former colleagues, said Hegseth had been forced out of leadership positions at two veterans' organizations—Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America—amid accusations of mismanagement, alcohol abuse, and sexual misconduct. Hegseth, a military veteran and former Fox News host, has also been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Monterey, California, in 2017, an allegation he denied and for which he was never charged.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Hegseth dismissed the allegations against him. "The Left is afraid of disrupters and change agents. They are afraid of Trump—and me. So they smear with fake, anonymous sources and BS stories. They don't want truth."
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On Tuesday, Graham described the allegations against Hegseth as "very disturbing" and suggested it might be "difficult" for the Senate to confirm him for the key Cabinet position.
"I think some of these articles are very disturbing," Graham told CBS News. "He obviously has a chance to defend himself here, but some of this stuff, it's going to be difficult. Some of the things have to be addressed, and we'll see."
Graham later clarified in an interview with Fox News that he would not make any decision on Hegseth's nomination based on "anonymous" sources. Several Republican senators are said to be unsure if they will vote to confirm Hegseth, putting another of Trump's Cabinet nominations at risk of not going the distance. The president-elect is reportedly considering replacing Hegseth with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as his nominee to lead the Pentagon.
Social media user Joey Mannarino, a Trump supporter with more than 580,000 followers on X, formerly Twitter, criticized Graham over his comments. "Lindsey Graham had no problem teaming up with Pete Hegseth to support veterans years ago. He was more than happy to do an event together and ride Pete's coattails. But now Lindsey is leading the effort to block Pete's nomination to lead the Department of Defense. Lindsey is a consummate fraud!" Mannarino posted on Wednesday.
Newsweek has contacted Graham's office for comment via email outside of regular office hours. Newsweek reached out to Hegseth's lawyer for comment via email on Wednesday.
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Country music star and vocal Trump supporter John Rich also attacked Graham, recounting an alleged incident during a dinner with Trump.
"As I was answering a direct question from POTUS, Lindsey twirled his Chardonnay (pinkies up) and told Trump I was a raging conspiracy theorist. I gave him a look that would hairlip the devil, then dismantled him," Rich posted. "I've seen tougher guys at Starbucks."
Rich also shared the phone number for Graham's Washington, D.C., office, encouraging his followers to call the senator to voice their opinions about Hegseth's nomination.
Scott Adams, a radio show host and executive of MAGAPAC.org, which aimed to support America First candidates in the 2022 midterm elections, added: "Lindsey Graham has voted to nominate some of the worst liberal choices, yet sits there as he unfairly judges Pete Hegseth for mere allegations. The fact is he doesn't want Pentagon audits and reform because he has profited from the military-industrial complex."
Conservative radio host Dan Bongino and staunch Trump supporter also criticized Graham, as well as Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, during a Wednesday episode of his show. Ernst is reportedly uncertain about whether she will support Hegseth's nomination but said she had a "frank and thorough conversation" with him during a Wednesday meeting.
"They've already taken their scalp in Matt Gaetz. If we don't draw a line in the sand and say, 'not today, not this guy,' then, folks, the swamp has already won," Bongino said.
Graham appeared to later soften his position regarding the allegations against Hegseth.
Speaking to Fox News' Sean Hannity on Wednesday night, Graham said: "The allegations against Pete are all anonymous sources. I am not going to make any decision based on an anonymous source.
"If you're not willing to raise your hand under oath and make the accusation, it doesn't count. I've heard everything about all these people. None of it counts."
Hegseth said he has no intention of withdrawing his nomination. Speaking to Megyn Kelly on her SiriusXM show on Wednesday, he said: "We're going to fight like hell. There's no reason to back down. Why would we back down?"
Hegseth cannot afford to lose the support of more than three Republican senators in the confirmation vote next year, as the GOP is set to control the Senate with a 53-47 majority.
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