As President-elect Donald Trump's Secretary of Defense nominee, Pete Hegseth, works Capitol Hill, speaking with senators to test the temperature and whip and shore up support before his confirmation hearings, the Tuesday night news dump saw two articles being released designed to do damage. One article was an out-and-outright smear piece; the other was meant to cast doubt that Hegseth has Trump's confidence. 

NBC News interviewed 10 "current and former" Fox News employees who claimed Hegseth's drinking was a point of concern, dovetailing on a Sunday New Yorker exclusive which supposedly detailed Hegseth's alcohol-fueled sexual behavior. What is interesting about the NBC article is that none of these former or present colleagues chose to be named.

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, drank in ways that concerned his colleagues at Fox News, according to 10 current and former Fox employees who spoke with NBC News.

Two of those people said that on more than a dozen occasions during Hegseth’s time as a co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend,” which began in 2017, they smelled alcohol on him before he went on air. Those same two people, plus another, said that during his time there he appeared on television after they’d heard him talk about being hungover as he was getting ready or on set. 

One of the sources said they smelled alcohol on him as recently as last month and heard him complain about being hungover this fall.

While pushback from The New Yorker Sunday drop was muted, this Tuesday night dump immediately elicited a response, mainly by Hegseth's direct colleagues at Fox News. These are the very people who were on the couch with Hegseth, in-and-out, for his eight years at Fox News, and not just random employees. Having worked directly and interacted with Hegseth on a continual basis, they had different stories to tell. 

Rachel Campos-Duffy, his former co-host on "Fox & Friends Weekend," posted on X, unequivocally stating that no one at NBC had bothered to contact her.

WARNING: These X posts contain strong language.

The losers at @NBCNews never reached out to me either. @willcain is right - your story IS horseshit. You now have 2 people who sat next to him 8+ hours a week on the record. Will you retract or correct your story? https://t.co/s5YJsI23EV

— Rachel Campos-Duffy (@RCamposDuffy) December 4, 2024

Worth repeating, @NBCNews used “anonymous” sources & unconfirmed stories to smear @PeteHegseth as a drunk on the job & never once asked his FOX & Friends coworkers who sit right next to him??? Don’t forget, @MSNBC started on day one of his nomination by saying he was a known… pic.twitter.com/KuDW4vOQKg

— Rachel Campos-Duffy (@RCamposDuffy) December 4, 2024

Worth repeating, @NBCNews used “anonymous” sources & unconfirmed stories to smear @PeteHegseth as a drunk on the job & never once asked his FOX & Friends coworkers who sit right next to him??? Don’t forget, @MSNBC started on day one of his nomination by saying he was a known racist/white supremicist - crazy, I know, but again never asking the Hispanic woman who works with him either. I would know if Pete was racist. This is why Americans hate the media & politics. It’s why they voted for Trump who withstood every smear in the book - including being accused of TREASON. Keep fighting, Pete. America is behind you. 

"Fox & Friends Weekend" co-host Will Cain was exceptionally vocal as well.

WARNING: Strong language.

Your story is horseshit @NBCNews. Put my name on it. On the record. It’ll be your only on the record source.
Signed,
The guy who sat next to him for 8 hours every week for five years starting at 6am.

— Will Cain (@willcain) December 3, 2024

Guest co-hosts and Fox News contributors Dr. Nicole Saphier and Lisa Boothe also took umbrage on Hegseth's behalf.

I have routinely sat on the couch with @PeteHegseth for 8 years. Not once did I suspect he had consumed anything other than an egg sandwich and coffee before going on air. pic.twitter.com/vjDQUpV9il

— Nicole Saphier, MD (@NBSaphierMD) December 4, 2024

Boothe calls it disgusting and false.

I've guest co-hosted with him numerous times before. Not once did this happen. Not once have I heard this from others. This is such a disgusting and false smear. It is wrong and malicious. https://t.co/avtrIo9Qzw

— Lisa Boothe 🇺🇸 (@LisaMarieBoothe) December 4, 2024

Here is an interesting tell on the veracity (or lack thereof) of these so-called exposés. Breanna Morello, an investigative journalist and former Fox News producer who has had no problem being critical of that network in the past, also came to Hegseth's defense.

As a former Fox producer, I’ve never heard this in my life.

Everyone spoke highly of him and still does til this day.

I noticed the employees are anonymous. https://t.co/7SmwHQ7993

— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) December 4, 2024

The other article at the Wall Street Journal casts shade while playing coy, naming "Republican senators" in the general sense and "people familiar with the discussions" in their attempt to convince the public that Trump has a Plan B for Secretary of Defense and that Plan B is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. 

President-elect Donald Trump is considering Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a possible replacement for Pete Hegseth, his pick to run the Pentagon, according to people familiar with the discussions, amid Republican senators’ concerns over mounting allegations about the former Fox News host’s personal life.

Picking DeSantis, a 2024 GOP primary rival for the presidency, would amount to a stunning turn for Trump. But he would also find in the governor a well-known conservative with a service record who shares Trump’s—and Hegseth’s—view on culling what they see as “woke” policies in the military.

Trump allies increasingly think Hegseth may not survive further scrutiny, according to people close to the president-elect’s team, which considers the next 48 hours to be crucial to his fate.

Tellingly, the WSJ writer said that DeSantis' camp declined to comment. WSJ also threw out a former Pentagon official, Elbridge Colby, who they claim is an ally of Vice President-elect JD Vance and Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, to lend the story credibility. But the majority of the article polishes DeSantis' bona fides and the potential benefits of having him in the Trump administration and the benefits for the state of Florida should he become the pick.

Color me suspicious. Tucker Carlson notwithstanding, Hegseth's former network has had no problems in the past of divesting themselves of talent and then remaining quiet as they waded through public and personal kerfuffles.

EXHIBIT A, which also lends credence to the Ernst camp having their fingerprints all over this: Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson took to CNN on Tuesday to express her full-throated approval of Ernst being Sec Def. Carlson's "sources" also told her that Ernst is No. 2 on the list.

WATCH:

Gretchen Carlson claims Senator Joni Ernst should replace Pete Hegseth as the Secretary of Defense.

"I've heard through the grapevine that she's number two on the list." pic.twitter.com/FhDmUGteHY

— The Patriots Gazette (@ThePatsGazette) December 4, 2024

The fact that Fox News has allowed its current big names to circle the wagons and vociferously defend Hegseth reflects that they are not going to allow "anonymous employees" to set the narrative on their former host or their network, for that matter. What could be the coup de grace to this drama: "Fox & Friends" co-host Steve Doocy sat down Wednesday morning with Penelope Hegseth, Pete Hegseth's mother, to set the record straight after the New York Times published a private email between her and her son.

VIDEO: Pete Hegseth's Mom Appears on Fox and Friends to Set the Record Straight About NY Times Piece

Jon Nicosia, former Managing Editor at Mediaite, was suspicious of the allegations, posting on X:

I have covered the media for 15 years. If @PeteHegseth was as drunk on set, etc., as people are saying, it would’ve been gossip everywhere. I was Managing Editor at @Mediaite when the Roger Ailes stuff went down. That place (Fox) talks/leaks a LOT. Until tonight. Not a word or… pic.twitter.com/XvmCvK8PvB

— Jon Nicosia (@NewsPolitics) December 4, 2024

He said:

I have covered the media for 15 years. If Pete Hegseth was as drunk on set, etc., as people are saying, it would’ve been gossip everywhere. I was Managing Editor at Mediaite when the Roger Ailes stuff went down. That place (Fox) talks/leaks a LOT.  Until tonight. Not a word or post on the current media gossip sites about the smell of booze, nothing.  The media business is brutal. Getting rid of him if he was drinking opens up another prime spot for the next star in line to take a seat on the couch. It’s just that simple.  Someone would’ve leaked it far sooner. This is a hit piece and garbage, nothing more.

Whoever these detractors and actors might be who are attempting to tank the Hegseth nomination, know that there is a wizard behind the curtain pulling their strings. Voices like The Federalist Sean Davis and others are naming and shaming South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham (R) as one of the puppet masters, along with the aforementioned Sen. Joni Ernst. According to Davis, they are tag-teaming to bring about the demise of Hegseth's nomination. When Sen. Graham last spoke to the press, he appeared to express concern over the recent allegations of Hegseth's past behaviors.

WATCH:

SEN. GRAHAM ON HEGSETH ALLEGATIONS: "Some of these articles are very disturbing. He obviously has a chance to defend himself here, but some of this stuff is is gonna be difficult, you know, time will tell." pic.twitter.com/qDOq9rnlfy

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 3, 2024

Whoever is involved is laser-focused on derailing the confirmation train and working hard to get Hegseth to pull his own nomination, as DEA administrator nominee Hillsborough County, FL Sheriff Chad Chronister did on Tuesday. Instead, the train appears to be going full steam ahead, and Hegseth is working hard to pick up more support as it barrels along. No derailment yet, and it remains to be seen how much damage has been rendered by these attacks.

In the meantime, other Republican senators are 10-toes down in allegiance with Hegseth's nomination. Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn has given her full-throated support.

I’ve spoken with Pete Hegseth about his military background and business experience.

He is more than qualified to assume the role of Secretary of Defense.@PeteHegseth pic.twitter.com/fq2bMIBrAw

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) December 3, 2024

As has Florida Sen. Rick Scott.

I met with @PeteHegseth this week and one of the reasons I support him is that he has led his fellow service men and women in combat. I support President Trump’s pick and look forward to his swift confirmation. pic.twitter.com/mLp3xcIsnv

— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) December 4, 2024

This campaign to destroy Pete Hegseth's nomination is oddly reminiscent of then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation. In 2018, the smears of an alleged 40-year-old sexual assault brought against Kavanaugh reeked of desperation and ultimately fell apart. Strangely, it was Sen. Lindsay Graham who helped to put the kibosh on that campaign. Perhaps Scott, Blackburn, or even Trump himself will play that foil on this one.

GOP senators CANNOT fold to these cheap anonymous attacks on @PeteHegseth.

If they do, they’ll just invite more and more Kavanaugh style attacks, for every potential disruptor. Everyone who represents REAL CHANGE.

And they’ll lose one hell of a SecDef in @PeteHegseth.

— Will Cain (@willcain) December 4, 2024

In the meantime, it's Kavanaugh 2.0, except this time, it is Trump's Secretary of Defense nominee instead of the Supreme Court.