Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) didn't rule out Pete Hegseth and Kash Patel, President-elect Trump’s picks for Defense Secretary and head of the FBI, as nominees for their roles in an interview that aired Sunday.
“You met with Pete Hegseth,” ABC News’s Jonathan Karl said in the “This Week” interview, with Fetterman responding that he “did.”
“You think he's qualified to be defense secretary? Karl asked Fetterman.
“Well, I think we're going to learn more. We're going to learn more. And that, that, that hearing, and there's going to be an FBI background and that. But, you know, my commitment, and I think I'm doing the job, is I'm going to sit down and have a conversation,” Fetterman responded.
“And the president picked these people,” he continued. “Not going to be my first choice, second choice, third choice, but that's democracy. And to me, it would be distressing if, if he is confirmed, if the Democrats are going to turn our back collectively to the leader of the defense. I mean, that's astonishing, and that's dangerous.”
“So you see yourself inclined to be open to supporting these controversial nominees. You may not support them all, but you see yourself —” Karl said.
“Potentially. But there is going to be some that I will vote yes, and there's some maybe that I'll vote no,” Fetterman responded.
Hegseth has recently faced revelations of alleged alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct in his past.
Despite the controversy, Hegseth has said that he won’t back down, and in a post on X, he suggested he is the target of a smear campaign by Democrats.
Fetterman also said in the interview with Karl that he and Patel, Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, had recently had a meeting. Patel has commonly referred to the FBI as under the “Deep State,” also describing many of those opposed to the president-elect as “government gangsters” that must be “held accountable and exposed.”
“So did you come across liking Kash Patel more than you thought you would? Thinking you could support him?” Karl asked Fetterman in the “This Week” interview.
“I mean, how much you can absorb in 30 minutes. But I have learned things, and I have heard things, and I have no regrets for having these. I never left any of those interviews saying, well, that was a waste of time, or I regret that,” Fetterman replied.
