‘Baloney!’: Jennings Erupts After WaPo Columnist Says Hegseth’s Fox News Gig Is His ‘Main Qualification’ For SecDef
By Harold Hutchison, Daily Caller News Foundation | January 15, 2025
Republican strategist Scott Jennings called out Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell Tuesday night after she downplayed Secretary of Defense-designate Pete Hegseth’s military service.
President-elect Donald Trump nominated Hegseth, a decorated combat veteran who served during the Global War on Terror before becoming a co-host of “Fox and Friends Weekend,” to serve as secretary of Defense on Nov. 12. Rampell dismissed Hegseth as “a TV host” during a panel discussion on “CNN NewsNight” about Hegseth’s Tuesday appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“Why do you denigrate this man’s service? I don’t understand, 20 years, decorated, Ivy Leaguer —” Jennings said, adding “He’s a TV host, that’s all he is? It’s not his main qualifications.”
“It is his main — it is his main qualification,” Rampell said, with Jennings cutting in to say, “You just said a TV host is his main qualification! You’re denigrating this man’s service.”
Hegseth deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan during his service with the Minnesota National Guard and was twice awarded the Bronze Star, according to the Nov. 12 release from Trump. He also led two veterans organizations, Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America.
“Not every member who serves deserves to be in charge of the DOD,” Rampell said, with Jennings responding, “She said his main qualification is that he’s a TV host. And I’m sorry, that’s just baloney.”
“His main qualification is that he’s a war fighter, and he’s going to be the closest war fighter we’ve ever had to the enlisted people running the Pentagon,” Jennings added. He’s decorated. He’s an Ivy Leaguer. And he knows what he’s doing.”
After CNN host Abby Phillip jumped in to defend past secretaries of Defense, Rampell and Jennings clashed again over Hegseth’s advocacy for pardons for some military personnel.
“I think he’s closer to the average enlisted man who has been deployed and deployed and deployed than anybody that’s been up for this job in forever,” Jennings said, prompting Rampell to say, “Which is maybe why he defended war criminals when —”
“Oh, now he’s a war criminal?” Jennings responded.
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa announced she would vote to confirm Hegseth after the hearing.
Harold Hutchison is a reporter at the Daily Caller News Foundation
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