Pete Hegseth’s bid for defense secretary is so radioactive that even a Newsmax host who once worked for Fox News like Hegseth is railing against it. (Watch the videos below.)
Greg Kelly on Thursday called Hegseth “blackmailable” after previously noting his “serious baggage.” He even suggested the problematic Matt Gaetz was more deserving of the attorney general nomination, which Gaetz later rejected as objections to him mounted.
What’s more, Kelly uncharacteristically took issue with President-elect Donald Trump for nominating Hegseth in the first place.
“I love President Trump, but he’s not infallible,” Kelly explained. “And from time to time, you know, personnel mistakes will be made.”
Despite disagreeing with Hegseth’s support of the Iraq War, Kelly was prepared to back him until he heard that Hegseth agreed to pay a woman who accused him of sexual assault, although he denied wrongdoing.
“I was once accused of sexual assault, falsely,” Kelly said. “I would never in a billion years pay that person a dime. That doesn’t sound like a fighter. That sounds like somebody who’s blackmailable. And I’m not comfortable with that individual being the secretary of defense.”
On Wednesday, Kelly delivered a savage critique of Hegseth with a nod to Gaetz, who was accused of sex crimes and drug abuse.
“Pete Hegseth is no Matt Gaetz,” Kelly said. “He hasn’t done nearly enough for MAGA to warrant the Department of Defense job. And he’s got serious baggage. Serious baggage. It happens sometimes. Not every pick is perfect.”
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Kelly also implied Hegseth hadn’t done enough as a journalist to support the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters and said the former “Fox & Friends” host was part of a network that called Arizona for Joe Biden in 2020 too early for his taste.
“So if anybody gets a little bit fatigued about the truth that we utter here, I’ll remind you we’re special and we’re better than Fox,” Kelly said.