Lindsey Graham Rapidly Reverses His Take on the Hegseth Allegations: ‘None of It Counts’

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) pulled off a flip-flop in near-record time Wednesday, dismissing a litany of misconduct allegations against Pete Hegseth that just a day earlier he called “very disturbing.”

Hegseth, who President-elect Donald Trump says he intends to nominate for defense secretary, was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room in 2017, which he denies.

He was also said to have overseen a sexist workplace at a veterans organization he ran, where the top staff sexually pursued female employees, according to a whistleblower report obtained by The New Yorker. A lawyer for Hegseth called the claims “outlandish” and attributed them to a “disgruntled former associate.”

Hegseth’s former Fox News colleagues have also raised concerns about his alleged drinking, though other network stars have denied the claims.

Appearing on Fox News' Hannity, Trump loyalist Graham tried to dismiss all of the allegations against Hegseth in one fell swoop.

“I’ve heard everything about all of these people, none of it counts, no rumors, no innuendo,” he told host Sean Hannity, claiming the anonymity of Hegseth’s accusers renders their stories invalid.

“If you’re not willing to raise your hand, under oath, and make the accusation, it doesn’t count,” Graham added.

What he and Hannity did not note is that Hegseth’s accuser in the 2017 case—which did not lead to charges after a police investigation—signed a nondisclosure agreement as part of a settlement and therefore is likely prohibited from speaking out.

For a different opinion on the seriousness of the Hegseth allegations, Graham could have consulted the Lindsey Graham of 24 hours earlier.

In an interview with a CBS reporter on Tuesday, Graham called the reports about the potential Trump nominee “very disturbing.”

“Some of this stuff, is going to be difficult,” he said, alluding to confirmation hearings that would likely touch on the allegations against Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host. “Some of the things have to be addressed.”

In addition to the personal allegations against him, Hegseth has railed against women serving in combat roles and attacked the military for outreach to members of the LGBT community.

These combined factors clearly weighed on Graham, a former attorney and reservist with the United States Air Force, when he spoke to CBS: “I want to make sure that every young woman who joins the military feels respected and welcomed.”

Those who at one time believed Hegseth’s treatment of women was worthy of scorn include his own mother, Penelope Hegseth. In a 2018 email, she told the thrice-married, reported serial philanderer that he was an “abuser of women,” according to The New York Times.

She said she regretted sending the email and retracted her claim almost immediately.

Appearing on Fox News on Wednesday, Penelope Hegseth pleaded with Trump and the American people not to listen to media reports about allegations against her son.

Trump, whose team has reportedly been taken aback by the extent of allegations that have emerged against Hegseth, is now considering Florida Governor Ron Desantis as a replacement candidate to lead the Pentagon, according to The Wall Street Journal.