WASHINGTON — Indiana's soon-to-be senator, Jim Banks, says he is backing Pete Hegseth to be President-elect Trump's defense secretary.

Trump nominated Hegseth last month for the job. Hegseth was formerly a regular contributor on Fox News. Before that, he was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Minnesota National Guard after having graduated from Princeton.

Hegseth served in Iraq as a platoon leader and rose to the rank of Major. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service.

[caption id="attachment_22310" align="alignright" width="200"] Jim Banks[/caption]

Rep. Banks (R-IN-3rd), who was elected to succeed Mike Braun in the U.S. Senate last month, met with Hegseth over the weekend and said that he is fully behind his nomination for defense secretary.

"I fully support him," Banks said. "President Trump wants Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon, especially after the mess of the last four years."

There has been bipartisan pushback on Hegseth's nomination Many lawmakers believe he lacks the necessary qualifications to be the top man in charge of America's defense. The pushback has been so great that Trump has been considering alternatives in case Hegseth fails to be confirmed by the Senate.

Among those he is considering is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom he ran against in the Republican primary.

"Pete doesn't back down from anything," Banks said. "That's what I admire about him. He doesn't back down from the media or the bureaucracy. He won't back down from Iran, Russia, or China, or any of America's adversaries."

Banks said he is also supportive of Hegseth's desire to "end wokeness" in America's military and to address what he called a "recruitment crisis."

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