‘Allegations That Are Anonymous Don’t Count’: Lindsey Graham Defends Trump’s Troubled DOD Pick Pete Hegseth

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) seemed to backtrack on his initial concerns about President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense, offering a more supportive stance on Wednesday despite the troubled history surrounding the nominee.

Graham, who had previously described allegations against Hegseth as “disturbing,” changed his tune during a Fox News appearance, suggesting that the ongoing scrutiny of Hegseth’s past treatment of women and alcohol abuse was a “diversion” from more important issues.

When asked by host Sean Hannity about the confirmation process, Graham shifted the focus to topics he deemed more pressing, saying, “All I can say is Democrats want to talk about confirmation drama, I want to talk about securing the border and cutting taxes. This is a diversion.”

While he offered a relatively smooth path for Trump’s picks for attorney general and FBI director—Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Kash Patel—Graham was more cautious when discussing Hegseth. He acknowledged that the confirmation process would bring scrutiny to all nominees, but noted that the allegations against Hegseth were primarily based on anonymous sources.

“The allegations about Pete are all anonymous sources,” Graham said. “If you are not willing to raise your hand under oath to make the accusation, it doesn’t count.” Graham further emphasized that he wouldn’t make decisions based on rumors or unverified accusations, stating, “I’ve heard everything about all of these people, none of it counts – no rumors, no innuendos.”

He also defended Hegseth personally, highlighting their shared service in Afghanistan and stressing that “the people over there said nothing but great things about him.” Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding Hegseth’s nomination, including concerns about his past behavior and personal history, Graham’s remarks on Fox News signaled a shift toward minimizing the importance of these allegations.

He expressed confidence that the nomination process would reveal the truth and suggested that time would tell whether the claims had any merit. Graham’s comments came as Democrats and other critics continued to raise concerns about Hegseth’s fitness for the role, but the South Carolina senator remained steadfast in his defense, insisting that the confirmation process would clear up any uncertainties.