John Rich, one half of the country duo Big & Rich, furiously took to X to question "RINO" Senator Lindsey Graham's manliness after the South Carolina GOP politician called the allegations against Trump Cabinet pick Pete Hegseth "disturbing."
Hegseth, a Fox News host who is President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, faces scrutiny after CNN reported that he paid a woman who accused him of sexual assault in a settlement agreement that included a confidentiality clause.
Hegseth’s attorney has denied the allegations, stating the former Army National Guard officer was never charged criminally or named in any civil lawsuit stemming from the 2017 claim. The revelation blindsided Trump’s team, as Hegseth’s nomination had already been announced.
And Graham has not fallen in line with many of his GOP colleagues, telling reporters that he is unsettled by the allegations against Hegseth:
"Some of these articles are very disturbing. He obviously has an opportunity to defend himself here but some of this stuff is going to be difficult. I like Pete. I've known him for a very, very long time."
You can hear what Graham said in the video below.
A furious Rich later called out "Republicans in Name Only" (or "RINOs") who are not marching in lockstep behind Trump's picks, suggesting Trump should use recess appointments to get his Cabinet up and running in the absence of Senate confirmations:
"The pro-war RINO's are all against @PeteHegseth and that tells you all you need to know. Pete is a threat to the war machine. Recess appointments?"
You can see his post below.
He also targeted Graham in a poll asking his followers if they trusted Santa Claus over Graham more (Santa Claus won the poll).
In another post, he attacked Graham even more directly:
""I sat across from Lindsey Graham at dinner with DJT a while back. As I was answering a direct question from POTUS, Lindsey twirled his Chardonnay (pinkies up) and told Trump I was a raging conspiracy theorist. I gave him a look that would harelip the devil, then dismantled him."
"I've seen tougher guys at Starbucks."
You can see his post below.
He later joked that it "didn't take long" to get thousands of reposts after he demanded his followers repost Graham's office number, which he himself shared so they could call in and tell him their thoughts on Hegseth's nomination.
Whatever people's thoughts on Graham, many criticized Rich for backing the nomination of a man facing sexual assault accusations.
Others have echoed Graham's concerns.
Hegseth has stated that he retains Trump’s full support, but by Tuesday evening, reports suggested the president-elect was reconsidering his choice for the prestigious role.
Sources indicate Trump is seriously contemplating Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, his former primary rival, as an alternative for defense secretary. Trump has reportedly told close confidants that appointing DeSantis would be a “big story,” framing it as a way to revive DeSantis’s political standing after their contentious primary battle.
Another contender Trump has mentioned privately is Congressman Michael Waltz of Florida, who is already slated to serve as his national security adviser. Trump has noted that Waltz would likely sail through Senate confirmation. However, those familiar with Trump’s thinking believe DeSantis remains his preferred backup should he ultimately decide to pass on Hegseth.
@mmpadellan/X
