TRANSITION TEAM IS STRONGLY DENYING TONIGHT.
GARRETT HAAKE NOW WITH
LATE DETAILS.
>> Reporter: TONIGHT
PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD
TRUMP’S PICK FOR
DEFENSE SECRETARY,
PETE HEGSETH, FACING
GROWING SKEPTICISM OF
HIS CHANCES FOR
CONFIRMATION AMID
DAMAGING NEWS REPORTS.
DO YOU NEED TO
ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS
ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER
THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED
--
NOW TEN
CURRENT AND FORMER FOX
NEWS EMPLOYEES WHO
WORKED WITH HEGSETH,
WHO HOSTED ONE OF THE
MORNING SHOWS, TELLING
NBC NEWS THAT HE DRANK
IN WAYS THAT CONCERNED
THEM.
TWO SAYING ON MORE
THAN A DOZEN OCCASIONS
THEY SMELLED ALCOHOL
ON HIM BEFORE HE WENT
ON AIR.
QUOTE, EVERYONE WOULD
BE TALKING ABOUT IT
BEHIND THE SCENES, ONE
OF THE FORMER FOX NEWS
EMPLOYEES SAID.
HE SHOULD NOT BE
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE,
ANOTHER FORMER FOX
NEWS EMPLOYEE SAID.
HIS DRINKING SHOULD BE
DISQUALIFYING.
A TRUMP TRANSITION
SPOKESPERSON CALLING
THE ALLEGATIONS
DISGUSTING, COMPLETELY
UNFOUNDED, AND FALSE.
AN ATTORNEY FOR
HEGSETH REFERRING US
TO THE TRANSITION
STATEMENT.
FOX NEWS DID NOT
RESPOND.
SO MANY OF
THESE STORIES HAVE
INVOLVED ALCOHOL.
DO YOU HAVE A DRINKING
PROBLEM?
NBC NEWS HAS LEARNED
AS MANY AS SIX GOP
SENATORS ARE NOT
COMFORTABLE SUPPORTING
HEGSETH’S NOMINATION,
ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE
REPUBLICANS WITH
DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF
THE NOMINATION
PROCESS.
HEGSETH CAN ONLY
AFFORD TO LOSE THE
SUPPORT OF THREE
REPUBLICANS IF ALL
DEMOCRATS VOTE NO.
>> THE ARTICLES ARE --
SOME ARE CONCERNING.
I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S
TRUE OR NOT.
BUT HE’LL GO THROUGH
THE PROCESS.
HE’LL BE ASKED ABOUT
IT, SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
>> THERE ARE QUESTIONS
THAT SOME MEMBERS
HAVE, AND WE’RE GOING
TO BE LOOKING FOR AN
ANSWER.
>> Reporter: ARE YOU
AMONG THE MEMBERS WHO
HAVE QUESTIONS?
>> I’M LOOKING TO BE
SUPPORTIVE.
>> Reporter: NO
REPUBLICAN SENATOR HAS
PUBLICLY SAID THEY
WILL OPPOSE HEGSETH,
WHO’S ALSO A DECORATED
COMBAT VETERAN.
>> I THINK THEY’VE GOT
A REALLY GOOD --
THEY’VE GOT A GOOD
SHOT OF GETTING THEM
THROUGH.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER
TRUMP PICK PULLED HIS
NAME FROM
CONSIDERATION.
THE SHERIFF IN
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY,
FLORIDA, CHAD
KRONISTER, HIS
SELECTION FOR
ADMINISTRATOR OF THE
DRUG ENFORCEMENT
ADMINISTRATION
POSTING, QUOTE, OVER
THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS
AS THE GRAVITY OF THIS
VERY IMPORTANT
RESPONSIBILITY SET IN,
I’VE CONCLUDED THAT I
MUST RESPECTFULLY
WITHDRAW FROM
CONSIDERATION.
>> AND THE TRUMP TEAM
HAS ALSO NOW REACHED
AN AGREEMENT WITH THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOR
AN FBI BACKGROUND
CHECK OF NOMINEES.
>> Reporter: YEAH,
THAT’S RIGHT.
IT’S CALLED A
MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING.
SOME REPUBLICAN
SENATORS HAD BEEN
URGING THE TRUMP
TRANSITION TO SIGN
WORRIED THAT NOT
GETTING CHECKS DONE IN
A TIMELY FASHION COULD