Trump’s willingness to choose cabinet members with histories of alleged sexual misconduct threw his transition plans off course this week.
Matt Gaetz, Trump’s pick for attorney general, dropped out of consideration on Thursday amid mounting questions over allegations of having sex with an underage girl and illicit drug use. He has denied wrongdoing.
Gaetz's departure leaves two other cabinet candidates who also have been accused of sexual misconduct:
#Pete #Hegseth, nominated to run the Pentagon,
and #Robert F. #Kennedy, #Jr.,
Trump’s choice for Health and Human Services secretary.
While allegations of sexual misconduct are not uncommon in politics,
including against Trump himself, it is unusual for cabinet nominees to face such accusations.
Some Republican senators said Hegseth in particular would now face more scrutiny with Gaetz out of the mix, though they did not think the extra attention would hurt his confirmation prospects.
"You guys will look more and more on what happened and will understand it's completely taken out of context, and I think Pete will get confirmed at the end of the day,"
Sen. #Markwayne #Mullin, a Trump ally, told reporters.
Hegseth, a 44-year-old military veteran and former Fox News host, has been accused by a woman who told police he sexually assaulted her at a conference in California in 2017.
No charges were filed, and Hegseth and his attorney have said the sexual encounter was consensual.
Hegseth met with Republican senators on Capitol Hill on Thursday to rally support for his nomination as news of Gaetz's withdrawal broke.
Sen. #Jack #Reed, the outgoing Democratic chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the stumble with Gaetz means the allegation against Hegseth will need to be closely vetted.
"From what I’ve seen from news reports, it is very concerning. It has to be looked at," Reed told reporters.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/11/23/world/politics/trump-nominees-sexual-misconduct-spotlight/
