Senator-Elect Jim Banks of Indiana Announces Hegseth Support

Sen.-elect Jim Banks (R-IN) announced his support for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, on Thursday.

Banks spoke glowingly of Hegseth in a statement issued shortly after their meeting on Thursday morning.

“Pete Hegseth is a decorated veteran and a patriot who will always put America first. Pete is focused on what I’m focused on which is getting wokeness out of the military and making our Department of Defense lethal again,” Banks said.

“And Pete Hegseth won’t back down. He won’t back down from the media, or from the bureaucracy and he won’t back down from China, Iran or Russia. He’s going to make America strong again and our enemies fear us again,” he added.

Hegseth thanked Banks for the meeting and his support in a post on X.

“Thank you for your time and support Senator [Banks],” Hegseth wrote. “I look forward to putting lethality back at the center of DoD’s mission.”

Hegseth also met with Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) Thursday in yet another positive meeting. 

“I just had a great meeting with Pete, the next secretary of Defense,” Scott told reporters. 

“I’ll tell you why I support him: I admire people who are willing to put on the uniform and lead troops into battle,” he added. 

Scott added that Hegseth will enter the Department of Defense “with the mentality that he’s going to take care of our warfighters.” 

Thursday’s fruitful meetings follow Hegseth’s productive Wednesday on Capitol Hill. Following their conversations, incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), incoming Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) all spoke highly of Hegseth.

“I think he articulates a good vision, a strong vision for the Department of Defense, which I think is in need of some modernization and reform,” said Thune, according to Washington Examiner Congress and Campaigns editor David Sivak.

Wicker said Hegseth impressed him in the meeting, and Schmitt said, “[i]t was great sitting down with [Hegseth].”

Schmitt also told CNN Wednesday afternoon that Hegseth fits Trump’s reform agenda.

“President Trump ran on a reform agenda that includes our Department of Defense — and I think Pete Hegseth fits that mold,” Schmitt said.