In less than a week, the odds that Pete Hegseth would be confirmed as secretary of defense dropped to the point that Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) was expected to replace him, and then rebounded to the point that his most outspoken skeptic, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), gave him a statement of confidence.
The abrupt change in fortunes for Hegseth’s nomination, which last week looked dead in the water, is a testament to the enduring political capital that President-elect Donald Trump has accumulated with his popular and electoral victory last month. However, it is also a testament to the power of outside pressure campaigns from Trump’s allies.
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