RNC Ex-Chair Weighs In on Sexual Assault ‘Thread’ in Trump Picks

CNN anchor Dana Bash asked former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel on Thursday to weigh in on the “common thread” of sexual assault allegations made against President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Bash asked McDaniel the question following the news that Matt Gaetz had dropped out as Trump’s nominee to be the next attorney general.

McDaniel served as RNC chair from 2017 to 2024. The position is now held by Lara Trump and Michael Whatley.

Gaetz, the former U.S. representative for Florida, was investigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for alleged involvement in sex trafficking and has been accused of allegedly engaging in sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl. The DOJ did not press charges, but the House Ethics Committee reopened its probe in 2023. Gaetz has denied these allegations.

Newsweek has reached out to Gaetz via email outside of normal working hours for comment.

Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, was accused of sexual assault in 2017. Hegseth has denied these allegations.

Newsweek has reached out to Hegseth via email outside of normal working hours for comment.

Musk, who has been appointed to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency, has faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. In 2022 a SpaceX flight attendant accused him of exposing himself to her, as per the Associated Press.

In June 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk had pursued sexual relationships with several female SpaceX employees. Musk has denied these allegations and labeled them as politically motivated.

Newsweek has reached out to Musk via email outside of normal working hours for comment.

Kennedy Jr., who is nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services, was accused of groping a babysitter in the late 1990s and faces allegations from the journalist Olivia Nuzzi, who described her relationship with Kennedy Jr. as “toxic” and “crazy”. Kennedy has denied these allegations.

Newsweek has reached out to Kennedy Jr. via email outside of normal working hours for comment.

Speaking with McDaniel on CNN, Bash said, “Several of his [Trump’s] picks have faced, are facing, sexual assault or misconduct allegations. Pete Hegseth is dealing with this right now, RFK Jr. One of his top allies, Elon Musk, was sued by former employees who claimed that they were fired for raising concerns about sexual harassment at his company SpaceX. What do you make of that common thread?

In response, McDaniel said, “I think this is important to have a Senate. This is why they have to give advice and consent. And let’s let the process play out.

“There’s all these stories coming out; they haven’t been convicted of any of these things,” McDaniel said.

“You, need to go into these picks with eyes wide open, and understand what damage they may do, and what baggage they bring to this administration,” she said. “I think they’re going to do it in a very considerate way, they’re going to do it privately, they’re going to talk to the president privately, they don’t want this playing out.”

Bash then asked McDaniel about the potential impact of these nominations on female voters, asking if she had “concerns” that women voters “will look at these picks and say I voted for him to make the economy better, to make the price of eggs lower, to deal with immigration. I didn’t vote for him to put all of these people who have sexual assault allegations in his cabinet.”

McDaniel said, “I think women knew who he was campaigning with.” She added: “He was running with all of these people, he was doing rallies with them. I really do think voters were saying, we need you to fix this economy. He was elected on the economy.”

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