Victor Davis Hanson: Trump’s Nominees’ Confirmation Battles

Do those who opposed Pete Hegseth’s nomination really believe he will be worse than former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin?

On this edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words,” Hanson discusses the contentious Senate confirmation process for Trump administration nominees. He highlights past and upcoming nominations, such as Pete Hegseth, Kash Patel, and RFK Jr., and the crucial role swing-state senators play in these votes:

“There's a general rule, though, that we can make sense that, I think, will apply—has applied, to Pete Hegseth. It will apply to Kash Patel, especially, RFK Jr. and others. And that is three things: The more important the Cabinet position is, the more controversial the vote; the more likely a Republican nominee is going to try to make fundamental and needed changes, the more controversial the vote; and, the more that senators in swing states worry about being reelected, the more controversial vote.”