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Jake Tapper Expertly Rips MAGA Rep's Defense Of Pete Hegseth's 'Drinking Problem'

Jake Tapper; Markwayne Mullin
CNN

The CNN host clapped back with a truth bomb after Republican Rep. Markwayne Mullin tried to downplay Trump's defense secretary pick's drinking problem by turning it on the media.

CNN reporter Jake Tapper expertly shut down GOP Oklahoma Representative Markwayne Mullin's defense of Pete Hegseth's qualifications as a potential nominee for Secretary of Defense.

Hegseth, a former Fox and Friends weekend co-host, was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to join his cabinet as U.S. Secretary of Defense despite his lack of experience in global defense.


Hegseth, however, has been in the hot seat since his history of alcohol abuse came to light.

According to NBC News, some of Hegseth's Fox colleagues expressed concerns about his drinking problem and claimed the Army National Guard veteran often showed up reeking of alcohol before going live. They also claimed Hegseth complained about being hung over on the set.

While Senate Republicans are unlikely to confirm his nomination amid scrutiny from coworkers and Pentagon officials in light of Hegseth's allegations, the MAGA contingent scrambled for excuses to justify Hegseth being a suitable advisor to the incoming President.

During a CNN interview, Tapper was having none of it when Mullin soft-pedaled Hegseth's allegation of a drinking problem.


Markwayne Mullin on Hegseth’s drinking: TAPPER: Drinking at 10 in the morning, that’s a drinking problem. MULLIN: Yeah & there’s probably a lot of media that has a drinking problem too. TAPPER: A drunk reporter who is drinking at 10 AM…is not in charge of the 3 million person defense department.💥

[image or embed]
— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline.com) December 8, 2024 at 10:58 AM


The discussion started when Tapper played two clips for Mullin.

The first showed Hegseth telling Megyn Kelly on her show that he's "never had a drinking problem."

A second clip featured Hegseth on The Will Cain Show talking about how he would want a drink at 10 a.m. to "self-medicate" with alcohol after returning from serving as an infantry platoon leader and later as a civil-military operations officer in Iraq.

After viewing the second clip, Mullin commented that Hegseth never said he had a drinking problem.

He argued:

“Jake, that wasn’t him saying he had an alcohol problem. That was him being honest."
"Unfortunately, a lot of our combat vets have come back and face the same thing.”

Mullin denounced the media's hypocrisy in highlighting Hegseth's negative attributes during the Senate confirmation proceedings, claiming everyone has a tarnished history.

He continued:

"Yes, [Hegseth] has a past. Jake, you and I have both have a past, and our listeners have a past too, and we get that."
"He's not hiding from his past. He's answering the questions of his past. That doesn't disqualify him from being Secretary of Defense."

On the contrary, Markwayne.

Tapper asserted:

"A drunk reporter who is drinking at 10 AM, for whatever reason, is not in charge of the 3 million person defense department, and so there is a difference."

The internet agreed with Tapper's on-point logic.


Exactly! Hegseth must not pass vetting!
— 💙 . (@djvagirl.bsky.social) December 9, 2024 at 7:06 AM



Well said Tapper! What a burn!
— Corithna (@corithna.bsky.social) December 9, 2024 at 3:28 AM



He should be vetted by FBI. Enough of the falsehoods by Hegseth. Too critical of a job to be given without due diligence.
— ejmccm.bsky.social (@ejmccm.bsky.social) December 9, 2024 at 7:07 AM


Users rolled their eyes at Mullin's glaring false equivalency.


Yeah that's what happens when Oklahoma ranks 49th out of 50 states in education. Just hearing this guy makes me wonder how he got elected. Oh by a bunch of incompetent uneducated folks, well at least most of them
— bearcats44.bsky.social (@bearcats44.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 5:54 PM



"What-about-ism" at its finest.
— @Babouc - Jerry Wechsler (@babouc.bsky.social) December 9, 2024 at 7:04 AM



That interview makes me want to start drinking and it's only 8am. But hey, make me Secretary of Defense and by my third triple single-malt Scotch, I'm ordering air strikes on Mar-o-Lardo.
— Stevie Z (@stevie-z.bsky.social) December 9, 2024 at 5:06 AM



classic maga false equivalency comparing apples to catalytic converters
— jjm182.bsky.social (@jjm182.bsky.social) December 9, 2024 at 4:09 AM



If Maga thinks we're going to accept the same deflection and BS answers like 2016 they are sadly mistaken.
— Marty Key (@lovinglife07.bsky.social) December 9, 2024 at 4:26 AM



A reporter drinking at 10AM and on the air won't have a job for very long. Typical MAGA misdirection.
— Sol Invictus (@augustusoctavius.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 7:28 PM



Apparently, Markwayne Mullin and the other GOP are not concerned about inconsequential things like drinking on the job, pedophilia, rape, child sex trafficking, stealing classified gov docs, cheating on taxes...
— Speed E (@speede.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 3:29 PM



These clowns have no moral bottom. There is no disgusting behavior they won’t excuse.
— Dave N. (@daveneste.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 11:03 AM



Deflecting…. that’s the GOP way.🤬
— Anthony's Spinning Circles here too! (@circlesspinning.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 12:43 PM



Markwayne is trying to guilt the people for rushing to judge trainwreck Pete Hegseth as if it is a personality clash that we should all be more tolerant of. OMFG Markwayne we aren't that stupid! This is about putting a drunk woman-hater in charge of the Pentagon!
— Janet Smith (@leeleejanet.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 11:55 AM


It was also revealed that the embattled SD nominee faced a 2017 sexual misconduct allegation. A woman claimed she was physically blocked from leaving a hotel room and engaged in non-consensual sex with the then-Fox host.

Hegseth denied the accusation but settled with a financial agreement and a non-disclosure clause to protect his job at Fox News.

Users remained obstinate against Hegseth's nomination.


Hegseth is grossly flawed and should never be in any position of authority.
— nannygram.bsky.social (@nannygram.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 8:25 PM



Isn't it nice that republicans can be rapists, thieves, drunks, womanizers, liars, foreign agents, traitors, insurrectionist and the entire party of Putin will tell the rest of us its no big deal.
— Thomas (@hawkeyetownsend.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 2:46 PM



Drinking is not Hegseth’s only problem. First of all it’s a concern that Hegseth doesn’t think there are any other problems besides the drinking? He’s also a predator.
— lisarenee2.bsky.social (@lisarenee2.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 7:20 PM



DOD Is A 24 Hour A Day On Call Job. Besides His Alcoholism HE ISNT QUALIFIED PERIOD!!
— susantymchuk01.bsky.social (@susantymchuk01.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 7:02 PM



Should not be eligible for that position.
— jammiepie4.bsky.social (@jammiepie4.bsky.social) December 9, 2024 at 4:01 AM


Mullin continued to counter in vain, saying:

“Well, then there’s a lot of politicians that have a drinking problem."
“There’s probably a lot of media that has a drinking problem too.”
“There’s a lot of alcohol that flows through Washington, D.C. on a regular basis, and I wouldn’t say that people are alcoholics or they have a drinking problem because of that."

Typical MAGA rationale.

But thanks for playing, Senator.

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