According to MSNBC host Jonathan Lemire, Fox News personality Pete Hegseth's interview scheduled for Wednesday is too little too late as he tries to salvage his chances of becoming Donald Trump's secretary of defense.
The embattled Hegseth is fighting an avalanche of news reports about both his reported drinking problems as well as his treatment of women, which has led influential Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to cast doubt on Hegseth's future in the incoming Trump administration.
Speaking with "Morning Joe" co-host Joe Scarborough, Lemire claimed Hegseth is hoping for salvation by sitting down for an interview with Fox's Bret Baier on Wednesday.
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"A few things here," Lemire began. "First, that NBC News story that suggests that Hegseth would show up on set at Fox smelling of alcohol, one of the reporters behind that story joining us in a few minutes. You're right to underline Donald Trump's distaste for alcohol, he has said repeatedly he has never drank in his life, he blames it for the death of his brother, someone he cared about deeply."
"He also judges harshly people who he thinks drink too much," he added before recalling, "Let's remember Rudy Giuliani lost a cabinet post after the 2016 election in part because Trump saw him drinking too much."
"I heard from Republicans yesterday as well, even as Hegseth has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill, that his nomination is in deep danger," he reported. "There could be up to six or more Republican senators, you only need four, who are ready to sink his nomination including Lindsey Graham who normally goes along with whatever Trump wants. Hegseth appearing on Fox later today for an interview, which is a sense may be a last-ditch effort to save that nomination but he's got an uphill climb."
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