'Take that to the bank': Key Trump ally again threatens his own party

A key ally of President-elect Donald Trump is threatening Senate Republicans that their careers will be over if they don't toe the line and back Fox News personality Pete Hegseth for secretary of Defense.

"If anyone in the Senate GOP votes against confirming Pete Hegseth after his stellar performance today, there will be a primary challenge waiting for you," said Charlie Kirk in a post to X. "You can take that to the bank."

Kirk, who has a history of racist commentary, heads up the far-right student group Turning Point USA, ran parts of the Trump campaign's voter outreach operation last year alongside tech billionaire Elon Musk's America PAC.

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This is not the first time Kirk has leveled such threats at lawmakers. He made similar statements as Republicans were divided on the confirmation of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) to serve as Trump's attorney general, saying that any senator who votes against him "will face an immediate primary challenge." Ultimately, that nomination never got to a vote, as Gaetz withdrew ahead of a House Ethics Committee report detailing evidence of allegations that he engaged in underage sex trafficking and illicit drug use, which he has denied.

Hegseth, who was grilled on Capitol Hill today by members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has faced intense scrutiny of his own, on a wide range of controversies including a complaint alleging sexual assault, accusations of alcohol abuse, and a record of opposing women serving in combat roles.

All of this comes at a challenging time for the U.S. military, which despite rebounding a bit in recent months, has struggled to meet recruiting targets for years.