Congress
After Gaetz withdraws, Vance turns to Hegseth
Vice President-elect JD Vance on Thursday held back-to-back meetings to sell Republican senators on Pete Hegseth’s nomination for Defense secretary. But that job as Donald Trump’s congressional whisperer just became more complicated, as Matt Gaetz withdrew from attorney general consideration — and new details came out about Hegseth.
California authorities late Wednesday night released a 2017 police report detailing a woman’s account of how Hegseth allegedly sexually assaulted her in a hotel room. The details add to the growing questions surrounding Hegseth’s ability to get confirmed to lead the Pentagon, though Hegseth on Thursday told reporters he was cleared of all charges.
“The matter was fully investigated, and I was completely cleared,” Hegseth said after his Vance meetings, which started soon after the reports were released.
But within minutes Thursday of Hegseth speaking to reporters, Gaetz in a post on social media declared that he was withdrawing as Trump’s pick to be the nation’s top law enforcement officer — a stunning reversal from just a week ago, when Trump surprised Washington by tapping the conservative firebrand to lead the Justice Department.
The two developments also put the spotlight on Vance, who was in the Capitol this week to help pave the way for Gaetz and Vance to be confirmed.
Trump deployed Vance to be his eyes and ears in the Senate and to help ensure that lawmakers quickly move the president-elect’s priorities and policy proposals, including his expiring tax cuts, efforts to manage tariffs and wholesale changes to the way his administration views health and education.
Vance’s deputy chief of staff, James Braid, was even tapped to become the congressional liaison for the Trump administration, a sign of the role Vance and his inner circle will play in shepherding Trump’s agenda through the House and Senate. Braid was spotted around the Capitol during Wednesday’s and Thursday’s meetings.
But less than 24 hours after Vance’s last meeting on Wednesday, Gaetz pulled out from his nomination. Many senators speculated on Thursday that Gaetz’s withdrawal indicated he did not have the support he needed in the Senate, which became clear after [Wednesday]’s meetings.
“I’m extremely grateful for the work Matt put into the nomination process. He made his decision to withdraw entirely out of respect for President Trump’s administration,” Vance said in a statement on Gaetz’s withdrawal. “Matt is a patriot and I look forward to seeing what he does next.”
Now, Vance’s next job will be getting Hegseth, a Fox News personality, through the Senate as he faces skepticism for lack of Pentagon or management experience. Hegseth was at the Capitol for a few hours on Thursday morning, meeting with key Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee such as Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.).
At least two of Trump’s nominees — Hegseth and Robert Kennedy, Jr. — still face accusations of sexual misconduct, making Vance’s role more urgent and difficult.
Few concrete details were known about the accusations against Hegseth before the authorities released a 22-page report from the Monterey Police Department that provided a stark account from the woman and Hegseth over the 2017 incident. The woman, who was not identified, was helping organize an event of the California Federation of Republican Women which Hegseth was speaking at.
She told police that her memory was hazy but recalled that she ended up in a hotel [room?] with Hegseth, who had allegedly taken away her phone and blocked the door, preventing her from leaving. According to the report, she “remembered saying ‘no’ a lot.”
Hegseth, however, told police that the sexual encounter was consensual and throughout it was checking to make sure the woman was ok. Police launched the investigation into the incident after a nurse, who examined the woman who came to the facility four days after the incident seeking a sexual assault examination, reported it to police.
Hegseth later paid the woman an undisclosed sum in connection with a non-disclosure agreement. His lawyer told media outlets that Hegseth paid the woman because he feared he would get fired from his Fox job.
Police eventually forwarded the report to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors did not charge Hegseth with any crime.
“We take them each separately, and these would have been separated,” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said, when asked if Gaetz’ withdrawal puts more pressure on Hegseth. “Separated out and worked through.”
Yet other lawmakers are confident Vance, who served in the Senate for two years, can help carry out Trump’s agenda. Vance has strong ties in the House, such as with Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas). Other House members like Reps. John Duarte (R-Calif.) and Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) appeared with Vance at fundraisers and campaign rallies. But at 40, he would be one of the youngest vice presidents in U.S. history as well as one of the least experienced in government.
Sen. Thom Tillis renewed his call for President Donald Trump to fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, following the resignation earlier this week of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.
“I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country,” the outgoing two-term North Carolina Republican wrote on X. “He is intimidated by competence and retreats to ginning up culture wars instead of soberly attending to the vital work of our national defense and the health and well-being of our fighting force.”
Driscoll, whose long-rumored resignation became official this week, had clashed with Hegseth over the Defense secretary’s reluctance to modernize the Army and his firings of dozens of senior officers. Hegseth has focused more on cultural issues — including grooming and fitness standards — within the department.
“If we had a @SecWar who maintained the same priorities and forward-thinking, he would be fighting to retain talented leaders like Dan and the many flag officers he has forced into retirement,” Tillis charged. “Instead, he is creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks.”
The White House and Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment on Tillis’ post.
Tillis, who is not running for reelection in November, has openly clashed with Hegseth since Trump tapped the former Fox News host to lead the Pentagon in 2024.
In May, Tillis told POLITICO he believed Hegseth had misinformed Trump on the dynamics of a war in Iran. Firing Hegseth, he said, was on “a Christmas wish list.” In a book set to be released next month, Tillis branded Hegseth — along with a handful of other White House officials — as “MAGATS” and accused them of “not looking around corners and taking care of this president.”
It hasn’t earned him friends in the administration.
“The media said how brave he was to take me on, but he wasn’t brave, he was just the opposite – HE WAS A QUITTER!” Trump wrote on Truth Social in May. “Now he can have all the fun he wants for a few months, with some of his RINO friends, screwing the Republican Party. In the end it will only get bigger, and better, and stronger, than ever before!”
Despite a stern message from party leaders, a panel of House Democrats did not settle on any particular consequences for the pair of lawmakers who crossed party lines Tuesday to advance an otherwise troubled slate of Republican-led bills.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and fellow leaders said the matter would be reviewed by the Democratic Committee on Caucus Rules, which convened Wednesday morning for a prescheduled listening session.
Attendees discussed possible changes to the rules that govern House Democrats’ conduct for next term. Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), the panel’s chair, suggested to reporters that discussion included what should happen if members vote with Republicans on procedural measures like the one Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) supported Tuesday.
“There’s been a variety of suggestions to change our rules, not just regarding the last couple days, but several suggestions that have been percolating for some time,” Levin said, while adding that any changes would happen only “in the next couple of months.”
The lack of urgency stands in contrast to the stern statement Jeffries and fellow leaders made Tuesday about the rogue members’ “breach of trust” — not to mention the rage some rank-and-file House Democrats are expressing. Some have floated removing the pair from their committees — particularly Gluesenkamp Perez’ seat on the exclusive Appropriations panel.
“Somebody else who is willing to think about other people needs to be on that seat, that exclusive committee,” said one House Democrat granted anonymity to speak candidly.
Jeffries, who was not present at the meeting, also seemed to have a speedier timeline for responding to Gluesenkamp Perez and Golden. He told reporters after the meeting wrapped that he was waiting on feedback from Levin and that the caucus would have conversations “amongst the family about the best way to move forward.”
Asked about his timeline for action against the pair, Jeffries said, “Sooner rather than later.”
Speaker Mike Johnson said he has no plans to campaign with embattled Rep. Max Miller — or visit his home state of Ohio at all — before the midterms.
“I have no plans to go to Ohio between now and the election,” Johnson told reporters Wednesday. “I’ve said everything I can say about the situation. It’s up to the people in his district.”
Miller is running in what had been considered a safe red district before allegations of abuse from his ex-wife Emily Moreno, the daughter of GOP Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, exploded into public view in recent weeks. Ohio’s two GOP senators have called on Miller to resign.
Miller has denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to continue his reelection campaign. A spokesperson for Miller declined to comment.
Johnson said Monday that he supports Miller’s reelection bid and called him a “great member.” The House Ethics Committee is investigating the allegations, which include physical assaults on his wife and daughter.
“He’s running a good campaign,” Johnson said Wednesday. “He has a nasty divorce. He’s, of course, vehemently denied the claims made. And as I’ve said many times, we allow due process to play out.”
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