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On Friday morning, MSNBC host Willie Geist was stunned and appalled after watching a clip of a Texas Republican get into a screaming match with acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe during a hearing on Thursday.

The hearing on the Donald Trump assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, which the the Washington Post's Jackie Alemany stated was productive until the altercation, descended into chaos as Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) bellowed and pointed his finger at Rowe who returned fire.

Following sharing the clip, a stunned Geist uttered, "Good lord, what's going on here?

"Yeah, Willie, it's actually, I have to say, up until that moment I was in the room I was thinking to myself, 'Wow, this is really such a substantive congressional hearing that we're having,' there were a lot of productive exchanges between Republicans and Democrats until that moment," the Washington Post reporter responded.

"Actually the exchange began with Pat Fallon asking Rowe why, as the second in command to [ex-CIA director] Kimberly Cheatle at the time of the assassination if he was aware of some of the heightened threats against Donald Trump... and more proactive in terms of deploying counter-surveillance units and counter-assault units to try to ultimately prevent the assassination attempt on Donald Trump," she elaborated.

"Basically insinuating that Rowe was in a position as the number two at the agency at the time to try to have the knowledge to prevent something like that," she continued. "And then from there it devolved into Fallon accusing Rowe of trying to position himself for personal gain, that he was essentially auditioning for a job for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris by trying to get in the back of this photo op."

Geist then noted that Republican lawmakers, under Donald Trump, have become notorious for using hearings to get attention for themselves.

'I think some of those members of Congress, as you know Jackie, are used to using those hearings to grandstand, maybe raise some money, get some clips online," he observed. "Not always used to getting it back as good as they gave in that hearing."

You can watch below or at the link right here.

Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) sparred with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy over whether or not the Trump-appointed official has been successful in his role.

"Has your tenure as postmaster general been a success?" the Democratic senator asked DeJoy.

The postmaster general reple “Senator, I know how you feel about me.”

READ MORE: Insurance giant abruptly nixes 'egregious' anesthesia cap after UnitedHealth CEO’s murder

Ossoff replied, “It’s not about how I feel about you, postmaster general. It's about whether or not seniors in Georgia are receiving prescriptions. it's the stacks of boxes of mail from courts that never arrive to their destination.

DeJoy then interrupted the senator.

"This is my time postmaster general," Ossoff shot back, "you're here under oath before the US Senate."

The Democratic leader continued, "It's small business who can't operate. It's death notices not delivered to family members, and you're sitting here trying to explain that 75 percent on time delivery is a success. And it's not. It's not about how I feel about you, postmaster general. It's how my constituents are being served by the United States Postal Service."

READ MORE: 'I resigned my position': Former DOJ official leaves LA Times over them 'appeasing Trump'

Watch the video below or at this link.

Despite reports that President-elect Donald Trump is considering nominating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for defense secretary and withdrawing his nomination of former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for that position, the embattled Hegseth has vowed to keep fighting.

Hegseth has been facing a variety of bad publicity, from a sexual assault allegation to allegations of extreme alcohol abuse. But the former "Fox and Friends" host has denied the sexual assault allegation, and he was never charged with anything.

On Thursday night, December 5, CNN's Kaitlin Collins discussed that case with Hegseth's attorney, Tim Parlatore — who threatened his client with a possible "defamation lawsuit."

READ MORE:'Gut punch': Trump clashes with PA steelworkers over $14.9b sale

Collins noted that when he previously discussed the case with her colleague Jake Tapper, he said he believed "it was extortion."

"If you felt that it was extortion," Collins told the attorney, "why not go to the police at the time?"

Parlatore responded, "Well, it was a decision that we made…. It was something that, I don't know if it rises to the level of a criminal extortion that the police would take it on. But I think it certain does meet the definition under the California law for civil extortion. And it was something we were considering at the time."

Parlatore went on to say that if Hegseth is not confirmed for secretary of defense, "We may still bring a civil extortion claim against her" for violating a nondisclosure agreement.

READ MORE: Senate Republicans 'uncertain they can back' Hegseth: report

Hegseth's attorney added that if his client loses "future employment opportunities," it would be "worth bringing a lawsuit against her."

Collins noted that "some people" believe Hegseth's accuser should be "released from that nondisclosure agreement."

Hegseth responded, "This is a confidential settlement agreement that had confidentiality on both sides. That agreement has since been breached by her. And so, as a result, I sent notice to her attorney that that agreement no longer has any force in effort. That's one of the reasons I can talk about it here, because prior to that, the agreement prevented Mr. Hegseth from talking about her conduct."

The attorney continued, "So, there is no NDA to release her from. And if she wants to go and talk about it, she can do it. Certainly, she would do it at her own peril of a further defamation lawsuit…. If she doesn't tell the truth — if she repeats these false statements — then she will be subject to a defamation lawsuit. And she's well-aware of that."

READ MORE: Why this Dem senator is 'considering voting yes on DeSantis' to replace Hegseth

Watch the full video below or at this link.

CNN anchor Brianna Keilar issued a swift fact-check to Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) on Republicans' potential Social Security cuts.

Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) mentioned during an interview earlier this week that "hard decisions" must be made on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. He said, "There’s hundreds of billions of dollars to be saved. We just have to have the stomach to take those challenges on."

Speaking with McCormick's GOP colleague, Bice, Keilar mentioned that Vivek Ramaswamy — who Donald Trump selected to lead an initiative to cut government spending — was asked about social security and "would not commit to cuts — instead saying that they would eliminate waste, fraud and abuse."

READ MORE: 'I resigned my position': Former DOJ official leaves LA Times over them 'appeasing Trump'

The CNN anchor noted, "I think those are some of the things you have in mind when you're talking about efficiencies. But when you look at studies of the amount that would save, if it's actually excised, it's puny. I mean, that is not anywhere close to the number that they're talking about with DOGE. Don't you have to cut social security to hit that number?

Bice replied, "You absolutely do not have to cut social security to hit that number. As a matter of fact, Medicare Medicaid is where we should be looking at trying to find efficiencies. Health care costs have skyrocketed, particularly after Obamacare was implemented, and there are opportunities for us to try to find ways to rein in that spending on the health care side. I also think that there is discretionary spending that we should be looking at, that we can we can tackle. But I don't think social security is something that's even being discussed by house Republicans."

Keilar replied, "Well, it is by one, actually your colleague," before showing a clip of McCormick's recent Fox News interview.

The Georgia lawmaker said, "We've got to bring the Democrats in and talk about social security medicaid, medicare there is hundreds of billions of dollars to be saved. and we know how to do it. we just have to have the stomach to actually take those challenges on."

READ MORE: GOP already 'chomping at the bit' to cut Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare: analysis

MSNBC's Ari Melber noted in The Beat with Ari Melber Wednesday night:

The reality is, cutting hundreds of billions from these programs, as McCormick suggested, would cost the American people far more than high prices and inflation. Seniors get an average of almost $2,000 in Social Security per month. They’ve paid into the program for decades. Slashing billions from it will hit them, or the country’s future seniors, hard.

Keilar then emphasized, "I mean, this is something that is being discussed by people who are saying the quiet part out loud."

Bice replied, "He actually didn't say cuts, but there are reforms that can be done to social security to actually shore it up. Look, the reality is, if we don't do something in the next eight years or so social security will become insolvent so we have to do something to protect social security now and into the future."

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: Trump's nomination of Project 2025 architect means Social Security, Medicare 'are at risk'

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Donald Trump has chosen at least four people to join his administration who have allegations of sexual misconduct in their background, as does Trump himself. But one, Pete Hegseth, his choice to be Secretary of Defense, may have an issue that’s too much for the President-elect: an alleged history of heavy use of alcohol. Hegseth has promised to not drink if confirmed, and says he does not have a problem with alcohol.

“I’ve never had a drinking problem,” Hegseth said Wednesday, according to Newsweek. “No one’s ever approached me and said, ‘You should really look at getting help for drinking.’ Never, never sought counseling, never sought help, but I respect and appreciate people who do. But you know, what do guys do when they come back from war oftentimes? Have some beers. How do you deal with the demons you see on the battlefield? Sometimes it’s with a bottle.”

“This is the biggest deployment of my life, and there won’t be a drop of alcohol on my lips while I’m doing it,” he vowed, Newsweek added.

While he has denied having a problem, he has been open about some of his experience with alcohol.

“By Pete Hegseth’s account, his heavy drinking began after a brush with death when an RPG ricocheted off his vehicle but didn’t explode while he was serving in Iraq with an Army infantry unit,” The Washington Post reported Wednesday evening. “When he returned home to a Manhattan apartment after the deployment ended in 2006, disconnected from the people he served with while his wife at the time worked long hours, he turned to alcohol, he said.”

READ MORE: ‘Perfect RT Talking Head’: Kremlin Propaganda Outlet Influenced Gabbard’s Views, Ex-Aides Say

The Post quoted Hegseth’s remarks from his August 2021 appearance on “The Will Cain Show” podcast.

“I’d look around at 10 o’clock and be like, ‘What am I going to do today? How about I drink some beers? How about I go have some lunch and have some beers? How about I meet my one or two buddies and have some beers?’”

“And one beers leads to many, leads to self-medication, leads to ‘I’ve earned this.’ Like, ‘Don’t tell me I can’t.’”

At a Republican conference in 2017, “Hegseth was so ‘visibly intoxicated’ that it enabled a woman to be the ‘aggressor’ in having sexual relations with him, according to a statement from Tim Parlatore, his attorney — an encounter that the woman later described as a rape to police. Hegseth disputes that claim, saying the encounter was consensual, and prosecutors declined to file charges,” according to The Post.

The Post also details Hegseth’s “reputation as a heavy drinker,” citing “sixformer Fox News employees.”

“Several years ago, during a St. Patrick’s Day segment on ‘Fox & Friends Weekend,’ support staff at the cable news network set up a display of beers for a holiday segment on the show. After the segment aired, Hegseth walked by the display table and drank each beer, according to two former colleagues who witnessed the incident and spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive episode. The incident struck the colleagues as jarring for two reasons: One, the displayed drinks had been sitting out for hours and were stale and warm; two, the show wraps up at 10 a.m., an early hour for alcohol consumption.”

READ MORE: Hawley Throws Hegseth Under the Bus: ‘Not 100% Clear Who Trump Really Wants Right Now’

The Post explains that Trump himself “has been troubled by the allegations about Hegseth’s excessive drinking,” noting that although he “has stood by numerous aides and appointees accused of sexual assault or indiscretion … he has long disdained the abuse of alcohol by those around him dating back to the death of his brother, Fred Trump Jr., who suffered from alcoholism and died of related diseases at the age of 42.”

On CNN Thursday morning, a panel discussed The Post’s report, and noted that Republican Senators are also uncomfortable with Hegseth’s reported drinking. CNN’s Stephen Collinson said Hegseth should “keep this going” into next year if he wants to be confirmed, and force the GOP Senators to openly defy Trump.

GOP strategist Erin Perrine on CNN described Hegseth as a “test case,” for Trump to see if a nominee can “fight the battle of political opinion in the court of public opinion on media.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

During the 2024 presidential race, Republican Donald Trump survived two assassination attempts — the first in Butler, Pennsylvania a few days before the Republican National Convention, the second at his Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach, Florida on September 15.

The first assassination attempt was the focus of a House hearing on Thursday morning, December 5. And the hearing turned into a shouting match when Acting U.S. Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe got into a heated argument with Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas).

Rowe grew angry when he thought that Fallon was "invoking 9/11 for political purposes."

READ MORE:Republicans quietly admit Trump policies could 'prove disastrous' in their areas

Rowe spoke of the "more than 3000 people that died on 9/11," telling Fallon, "I actually responded to Ground Zero. I was there going through the ashes of the World Trade Center."

Fallon angrily shouted, "I'm not asking you that." And Rowe shouted back at him, demanding that he "show respect for our Secret Service members that died on 9/11."

Fallon insisted, "I'm an elected member of Congress, and I'm asking you a serious question." But Rowe told Fallon that he was "out of line."

As the shouting continued, a call for "Order, order!" was requested.

READ MORE: 'It’s a joke': Trump appointee Ramaswamy's economic plan blasted by expert

On X, formerly Twitter, journalist Aaron Rupar posted, "Holy s--- -- acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe and Rep. Pat Fallon just had a huge, angry blow up during a hearing, screaming and yelling at each other."

READ MORE: 'Nothing at all historic': Mehdi Hasan debunks false claim that Trump won by a 'landslide'

Watch the videos below or at this link.

The Breakfast Club host Charlamagne the God confronted the View hosts Wednesday over what he believes is a failure to report "honestly" on President-Elect Donald Trump, according to The Daily Beast.

Speaking to the panel, Charlamagne noted, "It’s not even just cable news," who doesn't report "honestly" on the MAGA leader.

"It’s no network—nobody. Because they didn’t do it before, so why would they do it now? They’re scared to death. He’s the president of the United States of America,” he said on The View.

READ MORE: Here’s who Trump might pick for defense secretary if Hegseth withdraws

“Let’s be honest Sunny. I saw you have to apologize a couple times last week [for on-air comments about Trump], so somebody’s coming with some notes from downstairs."

“I’m not apologizing. I’m making a legal note as an attorney of law.”

“Because you know we have a petty president incoming, that is going to be very litigious,” Charlamagne added.

“We check ourselves through ABC News,” she said.

READ MORE: House GOP facing 'major political hurdles' with party's key political promise

Asked what “honestly” covering the president-elect looks like, Charlamagne replied, “You should just honestly call it how you see it.”

Hostin emphasized, “and have legal notes!”

The Daily Beast's full report is here.

During Wednesday's segment of Morning Joe, co-host Mika Brzezinski made a point to blast a comment made by conservative guest, Atlantic staff writer David Frum, regarding Donald Trump's controversial defense secretary nominee, Fox News host Pete Hegseth, Mediate reports.

Asked about his thoughts on the MAGA pick — who faces a slew of sexual assault and alcohol abuse accusations — the former President George W. Bush speechwriter said, "Well, just given what one sees on camera, if you’re too drunk for Fox News, you’re very, very drunk indeed. So, that’s alarming. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush nominated John Tower, senator from Texas, for Secretary of Defense. And Tower was a very considerable person, a real defense intellectual, someone who deeply understood defense, unlike the current nominee."

He added, "And it emerged that Tower had a drinking problem. And when he was drinking too much, he would make himself a nuisance or worse to women around him. And for that reason, his nomination collapsed in 1989. You don’t wanna think that our moral standards have declined so much that you can say, 'Let’s take all the drinking, all the sex-pesting, subtract any knowledge of defense, subtract any leadership. And there’s your next Secretary of Defense for the 21st century.'"

READ MORE: Here’s who Trump might pick for defense secretary if Hegseth withdraws

Brzezinski responded to Frum's claim by making a disclaimer to viewers later on in the episode.

"Before we go to break, a little earlier in this block, there was a comment made about Fox News in our coverage about Pete Hegseth and the growing number of allegations about his behavior over the years and possible addiction to alcohol or issues with alcohol," Brzezinski said.

"The comment was a little too flippant for this moment that we are in," she continued. "We just wanna make that comment as well. We wanna make that clear. We have differences in coverage with Fox News and that’s a good debate that we should have often. But right now, I just wanna say to say there are a lot of good people who work at Fox News who care about Pete Hegseth and we’ll wanna leave it at that."

READ MORE: Hawley throws Hegseth under the bus: 'Not 100% clear who Trump really wants right now'

Watch the video below or at this link.

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley appeared to muddy the waters for Donald Trump’s embattled Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, telling reporters that the Fox News co-host facing numerous allegations including possible sexual misconduct and alcohol abuse, has canceled his scheduled interview with the Missouri GOP lawmaker. Senator Hawley also repeatedly suggested he isn’t sure at this point what the President-elect’s intentions with Hegseth are anymore.

Speaking about Hegseth, Hawley told reporters Wednesday, “I don’t know where things stand at the moment,” “I was supposed to sit down with him tomorrow, but they canceled that meeting,” “it’s not 100% clear who [Trump] really wants as Secretary of Defense right now,” and, “I don’t know what the case is at this point.”

Hegseth spent the day on Capitol Hill while his mother sat down with Fox News to defend her son, and disavow the 2018 letter she wrote to him, saying: “On behalf of all the women (and I know it’s many) you have abused in some way, I say … get some help and take an honest look at yourself.”

READ MORE: Hegseth: Trump Told Me ‘I’m Behind You All the Way’ But Reports Suggest Otherwise

Hawley began by telling reporters, “I’ve been saying since he’s been nominated, let’s give him a shot. But listen, I don’t, I don’t know. I was supposed to sit down with him tomorrow, but they canceled that meeting,” Hawley told reporters Wednesday afternoon. “So I don’t, I don’t know where things stand at the moment.”

Asked if he thinks Hegseth will withdraw, Hawley continued to obfuscate.

“I don’t know. I — but listen, I just, the president, I give the president a lot of deference here. I’ve said I’ll support — folks, my presumption is, I’ll support whoever he wants, and thinks whoever is gonna be great for his cabinet.”

“I’m not, it’s not 100% clear who he really wants as Secretary of Defense right now.”

Asked if Hegseth’s nomination has become too much of a distraction, Hawley again did not rush to support the embattled nominee.

“Well, that’s for the president to decide,” Hawley continued, appearing to try to defer to Trump. “I’ve been saying this for days. I mean, I’m a broken record on this. My view is that if the president wants him to be secretary of defense, then people ought to give him a shot. And my presumption is that I would support him at the very least, let him have his confirmation hearing, let him take the oath, let him answer all of these questions.”

READ MORE: Pete Hegseth’s Mom Urges ‘Female Senators’ to Ignore Media Reports, Confirm Him as SecDef

“I’m sure there’ll be more. He’ll answer all and many, many more under oath, if he wants to, and if the president wants to, wants him to. But I don’t, I don’t know what the case is at this point, so.”

PBS NewsHour’s Lisa Desjardins also reported on a cryptic conversation Wednesday afternoon.

Referring to Hegseth’s meeting with Hawley being canceled, she wrote:

“A transition-related source told me Hegseth has to ‘be somewhere else’ now, a schedule change.

Florida? she asked.

The source only said that the schedule change ‘came from a higher power’.”

Watch the video below or at this link. (Video starts at the 2:22 mark.)

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READ MORE: How Democrats and Republicans Look at Hunter Biden’s Pardon and One for J6ers

Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) on Wednesday defended Donald Trump's defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth, amid the Fox News host's piling sexual assault and alcohol abuse allegations.

CNN's Jake Tapper asked the Missouri senator why he's not concerned by the Trump pick's past.

"If a track record of numerous infidelities and alleged sexual misconduct, and alleged problems with alcohol, that he's either denied or said doesn't represent him anymore — this is who he is," Tapper began. "Would you hire somebody that that had these descriptions about who he was to run your office given what we know is a fact and the allegations? I mean, do you not really have any concerns?"

READ MORE: Why this Dem senator is 'considering voting yes on DeSantis' to replace Hegseth

Schmitt replied, "Well, you kind of mix two words there together there, Jake, which is the fact of the allegations. Let's look at these in two different buckets. The first is the 2017 incident that you referenced. The prosecutor — the female prosecutor — decided not to move forward with charges. I'd be interested to see as a former prosecutor myself — attorney general of Missouri — what other surrounding documents and memoranda might exist that related to that decision not to charge."

The GOP lawmaker continued, "And then secondly, now you have again, a bunch of anonymous folks not even coming forward, who are in the shadows claiming something. And I just don't think that's a that's a reason why you would dismiss somebody from a very important role like this.

Tapper replied, "Well, I said the facts and the allegations, because the facts of the infidelities of how he has run his personal life are just facts, and frankly, as a married man and a father, absolutely disgraceful. But beyond that, there are these allegations he paid hush money to his accuser in California. I've never paid hush money to anybody."

Schmitt concluded, "Well, he settled a lawsuit that, again, the underlying charges were deemed by a prosecutor as baseless, and those are the facts. But again, people are entitled to ask these questions. He's entitled to give an answer, and he's answering those questions."

READ MORE: Here’s who Trump might pick for defense secretary if Hegseth withdraws

Watch the video below or at this link.

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As justices on the U.S. Supreme Court were hearing arguments in the Biden administration’s challenge to a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming treatment for transgender minors, far-right influencer, anti-LGBTQ commentator and activist, and Daily Wire podcaster Matt Walsh was outside the Court attacking what he calls “trans ideology” — and calling for it to be “entirely erased from the earth.”

Walsh did not explain what he meant by “trans ideology,” but the LGBTQ organization GLAAD has an explainer on so-called “gender ideology.”

“Employed by prominent anti-LGBTQ accounts and similar to the trope ‘transgenderism,’ ‘gender ideology’ is a malicious rhetorical construct that falsely asserts that LGBTQ — notably trans — people are an ideological movement rather than an intrinsic identity,” GLAAD writes.

On Wednesday, Walsh declared, “Children have a right to be protected from all of those people over there who want to harm them and damage them and destroy them, and they will be.”

READ MORE: This Michigan Lawmaker Wants to ‘Make Gay Marriage Illegal Again’

He appeared to be referring to the transgender allies and activists outside the Supreme Court.

“They are gonna lose,” he proclaimed. “They are losing right now. We are not going to let them harm our children. This case is just the beginning of the fight. It is not the end. We are not gonna rest until every child is protected, until trans ideology is entirely erased from the earth. That’s what we’re fighting for, and we will not stop until we achieve it. So to the trans activists over there who are claiming, this is all about the rights of children, I say again: yes, you’re right, it is. They have a right to be protected, from you.”

Walsh also said outside the Court, “There’s no such thing as a ‘trans kid.’ That doesn’t exist. Those kids are not trans. They are confused, and their confusion has been exploited by quacks and abusers. They are abuse victims. They are not trans kids.”

Walsh has called for parents who are supportive of their transgender children to be “thrown in prison.”

Citing the ADL, GLAAD also notes, “’proponents of the phrase often use it to oppose school curricula that feature and/or celebrate LGBTQ+ history or experiences, falsely claiming that such materials promote the sexualization of minors and/or coerce children into identifying as members of the LGBTQ+ community.’ The Southern Poverty Law Center adds: ‘Anti-LGBTQ+ groups often employ the term to claim any kind of positive affirmation of trans young people is a nefarious method of creating or recruiting new trans kids.’ On Twitter/X, for example, far-right outlet The Daily Wire widely promoted a speech by anti-trans commentator Matt Walsh, who said in April 2023, ‘I truly see the fight against gender ideology as the last stand for Western civilization.’ Other extremist accounts have used the phrase as a dog whistle to spread animus against trans people. That same month, Gays Against Groomers posted across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X: ‘Gender ideology must be completely abolished and destroyed.'”

“It seems to me that it’s something where we are extraordinary [sic] bereft of expertise,” Chief Justice John Roberts said, CNN reported.

“Why isn’t it best to leave it to the democratic process?” Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked.

But liberal Justice Elena Kagan disagreed.

“It’s a dodge to say that this is not based on sex,” Kagan said. “The medical purpose is utterly and entirely about sex.”

The Associated Press also reported the Supreme Court “seemed likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: Hegseth: Trump Told Me ‘I’m Behind You All the Way’ But Reports Suggest Otherwise

As Donald Trump defense secretary pick, Pete Hegseth, remains under fire amid allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse against him, some Democrats, like US Senator John Fetterman (R-PA), explained why he would consider "voting yes" on one of Hegseth's potential replacements: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

CNN's Manu Raju on Wednesday reported, "There are a lot of Republican senators who simply are holding their cards close to their vest. They are concerned about these allegations and uncertain about whether Pete Hegseth could actually do the job as secretary of defense and want to hear him discuss in length and in public about these allegations of misconduct, the sexual assault allegation, which he denies, as well as what happened at a time when he ran that veterans group several years ago, in which the New Yorker reported about misconduct, personal misconduct, drunkenness on the job and the like."

Raju continued, "Hegseth behind the scenes has been denying those allegations, and that has alleviated some concerns. But some members still, like Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, said she does not know how she will ultimately vote if and when that time comes. Now, there's also discussion about whether there will be a replacement. Donald Trump, we're told, has been looking at possible replacement candidates in case hex's nomination collapses. One of them, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. That's someone who, in fact, some Democrats are signaling they could be open to supporting, if that nomination comes forward."

READ MORE: 'Standards have evolved': Senator 'leaning yes' on Hegseth despite misconduct allegations

CNN then showed a clip of Raju asked Fetterman whether or not he'd consider DeSantis.

"I'm considering voting yes on Desantis if he finally admits that he has lifts in his boots," the Pennsylvania lawmaker said. "I'm sure he does. You know, maybe three inches or four inches at least."

Watch the video below or at this link.

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READ MORE: Pete Hegseth’s mom urges 'female senators' to ignore media reports and confirm him as SecDef

Penelope Hegseth, the mother of Donald Trump’s current and embattled nominee for U.S. Secretary of Defense, appeared on the cable network where her son Pete works, to urge the U.S. Senate, and especially “female Senators,” to disregard media reports—which include allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive alcohol abuse, financial mismanagement of two veterans’ organizations, and tattoos suggesting a link to Christian nationalism. She insisted her son is a changed man and should be confirmed.

In a sit-down one-on-one interview with Fox News co-host Steve Doocy, who called her “Penny,” Penelope Hegseth on Wednesday said the letter she sent her son, which The New York Times published late last week, does not reflect the man he is today, or the mother she is. But when asked if she would testify on her son’s behalf before the U.S. Senate, she refused to commit.

According to The Times, Penelope Hegseth told her son in a 2018 email, “On behalf of all the women (and I know it’s many) you have abused in some way, I say … get some help and take an honest look at yourself.”

READ MORE: ‘Standards Have Evolved’: Senator ‘Leaning Yes’ on Hegseth Despite Misconduct Allegations

“I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth,” she wrote, according to The Times.

The paper also reported Hegeth in her letter stated that she still loved her son. She reportedly apologized for the letter hours later.

On “Fox & Friends,” Penelope Hegseth began by saying, “let me make two statements first and one is to President Trump. And I want to say thank you for your belief in my son. We all believe in him. We really believe that he is not that man he was seven years ago. I’m not that mother.”

“So the other thing I want to say is, I am here to tell the truth, to tell the truth to the American people and tell the truth to the senators on the Hill, especially our female senators. I really hope that you will not listen to the media and that you will listen to Pete.”

The media reports about Pete Hegseth—the weekend “Fox & Friends” co-host President-elect Donald Trump has picked to run the most lethal and well-funded military in all of history—that Penelope Hegseth is asking the U.S. Senate to “not listen to” are numerous, and highly-damaging.

Mother Jones on Monday published “ A Running List of the Allegations Against Pete Hegseth.”

It does not yet include the latest NBC News report that says, “Ten current and former Fox employees say Trump’s pick for defense secretary drank in ways that concerned his co-workers.”

But it does characterize the current allegations against Hegseth under the headings: “Mismanagement, a Drinking Problem, and Sexually Inappropriate Behavior,” “Rape Allegation,” and, “His Mother Called Him ‘an Abuser of Women’.”

Penelope Hegseth made clear her goal in appearing on Fox News was as much to help get her son confirmed as it was to “discredit the media and how they operate.”

READ MORE: Trump Lining Up Billionaire Defense Investor and Megadonor to Be Number Two at Pentagon

“I came to take on New York City, to take on the New York Times,” she also said.

She explained that when she was called recently by reporters about the letter she wrote her son Pete in 2018, “I let a few phone calls go, but then they call you and say, they threaten you. That’s the first thing they do. They say, ‘unless you make a statement, we will publish it as is.’ And I think that’s a despicable way to treat anyone.”

When asked what her “message” is to The New York Times, she replied, “I would say I don’t think the way you operate is, it feels almost criminal when reporters call you and threaten you. I don’t think a lot of people know that’s the way they operate. And they are in it for the commission, for the money, and they don’t care who they hurt — families, children. I just I don’t believe that that is the right way to do things.”

Doocy asked, “Do you think that’s just the way they try to get the story?”

“Oh, of course,” she replied. “It’s their job, but I can take the opposite view.”

Critics have blasted Penelope Hegseth’s interview, and Pete Hegseth for not withdrawing his nomination to become U.S. Secretary of Defense.

Journalist Gretchen Carlson, the now former longtime Fox News host whose sexual harassment lawsuit helped bring down Fox News chief Roger Ailes, blasted Penelope Hegseth:

“OMG — watching Hegseth’s mom interview on Fox & Friends — twice calling out to GOP female Senators to believe him — saying Pete has changed over 7 years. She is the one who wrote the email annihilating him for his treatment of women & is now saying it’s not true.”

As did others.

“Hegseth can do the ‘never back down’ shtick all he wants but when the nomination reaches the ‘have his mommy say nice things on TV’ phase and she’s not willing to commit to testifying as a character witness, feels like it’s in a pretty bad place,” observed Aaron Fritschner, Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA). He added, “if someone was foolish enough to nominate me for something senate confirmed … [I] am extremely confident that my mommy would not hesitate to testify in my defense.”

CNN’s Brian Stelter wrote, “Penelope Hegseth’s main message was that Pete is a changed man. That’s the narrative his allies have been pushing in private, as well. But a changed-man narrative is premised on ugliness in the man’s past.”

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