{"id":2376449,"date":"2024-12-04T20:26:02","date_gmt":"2024-12-05T01:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wesley-hunt-in-the-running-for-defense-secretary-if-hegseth-fails-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-12-04T20:26:51","modified_gmt":"2024-12-05T01:26:51","slug":"wesley-hunt-in-the-running-for-defense-secretary-if-hegseth-fails-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wesley-hunt-in-the-running-for-defense-secretary-if-hegseth-fails-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Wesley Hunt in the running for Defense Secretary if Hegseth fails- Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwesley-hunt-in-the-running-for-defense-secretary-if-hegseth-fails-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2376449&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses Rep. Wesley Hunt,a\u2062 Republican \u200bfrom Texas,being\u200b considered \u200cas a candidate for Secretary\u200b of \u2064Defense should\u200b the nomination of another nominee,likely under \u2064scrutiny,fail. This potential nomination \u200bis linked\u200b to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-red-wave-of-conservative-women-elected-to-congress\/\" title=\"The Red Wave of Conservative Women Elected to Congress\">transition team<\/a> of President-elect Donald\u200d Trump. The text suggests\u2064 that \u2062Hunt is among\u200d a select group of lawmakers \u200deyed for this important position in the incoming administration.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Wesley Hunt on <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">defense secretary short list<\/a> if Hegseth nomination fails<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1903100\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX)&nbsp;is among a handful of lawmakers being considered by President-elect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a>&lsquo;s transition team to replace embattled Defense Secretary nominee <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pete-hegseth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Pete Hegseth<\/a>, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-gun-control-negotiators-could-have-bill-text-as-soon-as-today\/\" title=\"Senate Gun Control Negotiators Could Have Bill Text as Soon as Today\">source familiar confirmed<\/a> to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Hunt was vetted by Trump&rsquo;s camp in October, before the presidential election last month, and was endorsed by Trump in his reelection bid for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/texas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Texas<\/a>&lsquo;s 38th Congressional District.<\/p>\n<p>He spent much of the lead-up to the election as a top campaign surrogate, garnering <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3085905\/wesley-hunt-trump-black-support-impossible-biden-win\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">support among black voters<\/a> for Trump. <\/p>\n<p>But there is some concern that if Trump were to nominate Hunt, a U.S. Army veteran, it would cut further into House Republicans&rsquo; vanishingly slim majority next year, as Trump has already tapped multiple GOP lawmakers to serve in his administration.<\/p>\n<p>Hegseth has a difficult pathway to Senate confirmation in the face of allegations of sexual misconduct and drunken behavior, accusations that he denies. He&rsquo;s also faced some blowback for saying women should not serve in combat roles.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;What you&rsquo;re seeing right now with me, it is the classic art of the smear,&rdquo; Hegseth <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/3249299\/pete-hegseth-victim-tank-secretary-defense-nomination\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">said<\/a> on SiriusXM&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MegynKellyShow\/status\/1864363561385861141\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The Megyn Kelly Show,<\/em><\/a>  which was released Wednesday. &ldquo;Take whatever tiny kernels of truth, and there are tiny, tiny ones in there, and blow them up into a masquerade of a narrative about somebody that I am definitely not.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Hegseth also spent Wednesday on Capitol Hill meeting with Republican lawmakers but has denied he will travel to Mar-a-Lago on Thursday to meet with Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Several Republican lawmakers, including Hunt, have defended Hegseth&rsquo;s nomination, but there is growing concern that he could be forced to withdraw if enough Republican senators refuse to back him.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have to trust President Trump&rsquo;s judgment,&rdquo; Hunt <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbestv\/2024\/11\/25\/congressman-wesley-hunt-defends-pete-hegseth-trump-cabinet-picks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">told Forbes<\/a> last week in support of Trump&rsquo;s Cabinet nominees. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;His picks are the people that he wants to change Washington and change the status quo,&rdquo; he also said. &ldquo;And so I would caution against bucking what the American public voted for.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Trump is looking at other alternatives to replace Hegseth, including Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), his onetime primary rival, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a source familiar told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1903100\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1903100\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wesley Hunt may replace Hegseth as defense secretary if needed<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2658,"featured_media":2376450,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Wesley-Hunt-speaks-at-Republican-National-Convention.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[35456,45173,5894,32076,32971],"class_list":["post-2376449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-defense-secretary","tag-hegseth","tag-politics","tag-washington-examiner","tag-wesley-hunt"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Wesley-Hunt-speaks-at-Republican-National-Convention.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2376449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2658"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2376449"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2376449\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2376453,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2376449\/revisions\/2376453"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2376450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2376449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2376449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2376449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}