Trump breaks silence for flailing Hegseth, as tide may be turning

After days of watching his chosen defense secretary nominee twist in the wind, Donald Trump has finally released a statement in support of Pete Hegseth.

“Pete Hegseth is doing very well,” Trump posted to his Truth Social account. “His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe.” Trump’s running mate Sen. JD Vance also wrote, “Led by President Trump, we're fighting for Pete Hegseth.”

In addition to the support from Trump and Vance, the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation, credited with creating Project 2025, said it will spend $1 million to cajole Republican senators to back Hegseth.