Joni Ernst opens the door to supporting Hegseth nomination

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) signaled she is more open to backing Pete Hegseth’s nomination to become secretary of defense following a second meeting with him on Monday.

“Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas — and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks,” Ernst wrote in a statement, released shortly after her 30-minute talk with Hegseth.