WASHINGTON – GOP senators are expressing their intention to support President-elect Donald Trump’s contentious selections for leadership positions in the Pentagon and FBI.

However, they have raised concerns regarding Pete Hegseth – a military veteran and conservative media figure facing allegations of sexual misconduct – and are insisting that background checks be conducted on him and Trump’s nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, before moving forward.

“My view on the nominations is that that’s exactly why confirmation hearings exist,” stated Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican. He noted his lack of familiarity with many of Trump’s nominees but maintained a “completely open mind” about them taking on significant government roles.

Although not legally required, performing FBI background checks on the personnel selections of a new president is a common practice, crucial for handling classified information as one administration transitions to another. So far, Trump’s team has bypassed this protocol, opting for their own vetting methods.

Sen. Roger Wicker, poised to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee next year and oversee Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, stated Monday evening that he believes the “issue of who performs the background checks is about to be worked out,” and expressed a desire for the FBI to carry out checks on Trump’s nominees.

“Background checks hold significant importance. Hearing from the American people is essential,” remarked Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi.

Wicker anticipates a hearing for Hegseth will occur in January, after the new Congress is inaugurated and the Republicans regain the majority. He conveyed that senators would weigh the pros and cons regarding Hegseth, ultimately making an “informed judgement” based on their findings.

Hegseth and Patel are among several nominees from Trump whose appointments may face challenges in the Senate, despite Republican control. With the GOP holding a slim 53-47 majority starting next month, it would take four Republican senators to oppose a Trump nominee for it to fail, provided all Democrats and independents vote ‘no’ as well.

Already, one of Trump’s early Cabinet selections, Matt Gaetz, has stepped down from Congress, withdrawing himself from consideration for the U.S. attorney general position due to an impending public release of a House ethics report that looked into sexual misconduct claims against him.

As lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill on Monday, more damaging information regarding Hegseth was disclosed.

Hegseth, aged 44, faced scrutiny due to a 2017 sexual incident where an unnamed woman alleged in a police report that he obstructed her exit from a hotel room in Monterey, California, and sexually assaulted her. Hegseth and his legal team have refuted these claims, asserting that the encounter was consensual.

In another troubling account, Hegseth’s mother, Penelope, criticized her son’s “abusive behavior” towards women in a scathing email from 2018, which was made public by the New York Times last week. She later apologized to her son and condemned the release of the email as “disgusting.”

A whistleblower report referenced in a New Yorker article published on Sunday claimed that Hegseth was ousted from two non-profit organizations due to personal misconduct, financial mismanagement, and being intoxicated while on the job.

Hegseth’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“I’m certainly reviewing this new information,” Wicker informed reporters Monday evening. “However, I still aim to be supportive.”

Wicker mentioned he was unperturbed by the email from Hegseth’s mother, acknowledging that she had retracted her statements.

“He’ll undergo scrutiny regarding all these matters,” remarked Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, one of Hegseth’s supporters in the Senate, on Monday. “As I told him, I said, ‘You need to be well-prepared.’ And he will be when it comes to addressing all of this.”

Tuberville praised Hegseth as “very smart” and supported his credentials.

“I’ve been acquainted with Pete for quite some time,” he mentioned. “I appreciate his youth. He isn’t an admiral or general in his 60s or 70s who might not relate to the active-duty forces—those who have been engaged in combat, the men and women fighting to safeguard our nation.”

Senate Republicans remain ‘open-minded’ regarding Trump’s nominees

The confirmation of Hegseth will depend significantly on the backing from moderate senators like Susan Collins from Maine and Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, as well as those not closely aligned with Trump. Another key figure to observe is Iowa senator and military veteran Joni Ernst, who has been a strong supporter of sexual assault survivors and was recently present at Mar-a-Lago.

Murkowski chose not to comment on the matter on Monday. Meanwhile, Collins emphasized the necessity of adhering to the standard Senate confirmation procedures, which Trump has hinted he might bypass using a controversial authority known as “recess appointments,” allowing him to make appointments without Senate approval.

“That’s why I strongly oppose any move towards recess appointments. We must thoroughly evaluate the nominees for these crucial positions,” Collins remarked in reference to Hegseth.

Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri indicated that he anticipates a Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing for Hegseth. He plans to meet with Hegseth this week, regardless of whether Republicans decide to enter a recess that would empower Trump to appoint him directly.

“I assume I’ll support him, and I hope my colleagues will at least allow him to attend his confirmation hearing so we can address the serious concerns some may have,” he stated.

At the hearing, Hegseth will be required to testify under oath, Hawley, who is not a member of the committee, noted. “I encourage my Republican colleagues to give him an opportunity, let him answer your questions. If you have difficult inquiries, that’s perfectly fine—ask him and let him respond.”

Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis from Wyoming expressed her desire to hear Hegseth’s thoughts on how to manage spending at the Department of Defense. Before a scheduled meeting with Hegseth on Monday evening, Lummis mentioned that she was not aware of reports alleging mismanagement of funds by the Trump nominee for the Pentagon concerning veterans’ organizations.

Regarding the sexual assault allegations, Lummis stated that she had listened to conservative media figure Megyn Kelly’s analysis of the police report and “she concluded that he was—albeit extremely intoxicated—still the less culpable party in that situation.”

“I’m inclined to be supportive of Pete Hegseth, though I do have some questions,” she remarked.

‘I have no knowledge of him’

Republican senators, responsible for confirming Trump’s nominees once he assumes office, are maintaining an open stance toward his selections, which includes the 44-year-old Patel, whom Trump announced on Saturday he intends to nominate as the next FBI director.

The current FBI director, Christopher Wray, has over two years remaining in his ten-year term. However, Trump has the authority to fire Wray, whom he appointed after dismissing former FBI director James Comey, and nominate Patel instead.

“It’s not unlawful,” remarked Senator Todd Young, an Indiana Republican who chose not to endorse Trump in 2024. He emphasized that when considering Patel, the primary factors are his qualifications, competence, and vision for the FBI.

Patel, a staunch supporter of Trump, is a former federal prosecutor and public defender who gained fame as a top aide to former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes from California. He has also served as the Pentagon’s chief of staff during Trump’s first term and held roles as deputy director of National Intelligence and senior director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council.

Since Trump announced Patel’s potential nomination over the weekend, Patel has received criticism from outside sources for his outspoken negative comments about the FBI, alongside doubts regarding his lack of relevant experience.

“It’s hard to envision a more threatening and confrontational person to lead the FBI in our nation,” wrote former U.S. Attorney and deputy assistant Attorney General Harry Litman on X.

While Hegseth was making his rounds on Capitol Hill on Monday, numerous senators mentioned they were just becoming familiar with Patel’s possible nomination.

“I am not acquainted with Mr. Patel,” stated

Young expressed, “I anticipate that we will gather a considerable amount of information. The committee members will move forward with hearings, and if by the end of this process I feel I lack the necessary information to make a well-informed choice, I will express that.”

Wicker commented, “I recognize that he has many supporters as well as critics, but I’ve never had the opportunity to meet him or engage in a discussion with him.”

Like Young and Wicker, others have indicated a desire to learn more about Patel and plan to pose their inquiries during the confirmation hearings.

“I honestly don’t know him,” Collins remarked. “I’ve heard of him, but I’m unfamiliar with his history. He’s the nominee that I will need to research extensively.”