Pete Hegseth faced backlash on social media after he offered a defiant statement to reporters about his scandal-ridden push to become secretary of defense.
“This will not be a process tried in the media. I don’t answer to anyone in this group. None of you, not to that camera at all,” he told reporters on Capitol Hill.
“I answer to President Trump, who received 76 million votes … and a mandate for change,” he continued. “I answer to the 50 — the 100 senators who are part of this process and those in the committee. And I answer to my Lord and Savior, and my wife and my family.”
Hegseth is battling to keep his chances afloat amid mounting allegations of misconduct, including accusations of sexual impropriety, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement of two veterans nonprofits he ran.
President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly mulling other candidates to replace Hegseth, who was a Fox News host until Trump picked him for the Pentagon job last month.
His comment irked critics, who noted that he’s gunning for a job that is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate to serve the interests of the American public.
See some of the reactions below.