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we really appreciate it. >> thank you. >> and joining me now is republican senator, bill haggerty of tennessee. senator haggerty, welcome to "meet the press." >> good morning. good to be with you. >> it is very good to have you. let's start right there. i want to get your reaction, president-elect trump essentially making this move that would lead to the firing of his own hand picked fbi director, whose term doesn't come to an end until 2027, replacing him with kash patel, who served multiple roles in the first trump administration. do you think he has enough votes to pass? >> i encouraged president trump to bring kash patel to the table for this reason. i am more than happy to talk about him. he represents the type of change we need to see in the fbi. you think about the failures of background checks. how could we have somebody like collin who tweeted out classified information. i went to the fbi myself. they ignored me. basically, he was confirmed on a party line vote with kamala harris breaking the tie. shouldn't have a security clearance in the third most powerful position. you ha

we'll talk to bill haggerty about that. about president trump's number one priority, securing the border, with tom homan. we're talking with the deputy head of policy with stephen miller and kevin mccarthy as well. remember, the house is now heading back to a very slim majority given the fact that a hand full of people are going into the trump administration and you had a couple victories in california on the house in congress just in the last couple of weeks. then we'll talk about all of these pardons, the biden family pardon playbook, who is next. it's likely joe biden's brother, jim biden, but why is it that all of these new names are being floated around, liz clay any, adam schiff, what crimes did they commit to warrant wanting pardons from president biden. we're talking about that with miranda devine. we'll get into the finances and domestic agenda coming up. we're also talking about foreign policy with president trump back on the global stage. your thoughts on that gen z situation because they've seen crisis after cri

senator bill haggerty, it's great to see you. >> good to be with you. >> do you own crypto?magine, based on your knowledge and interest in the space you have been owning it for five or ten years, you must be doing nicely. >> this is a sore point in my family. my kids wish i would have allowed them to do it. if i want to be able to do my job here in the united states senate, i felt it best not to invest in the crypto space. even though i see potential here in america. as president trump said, we want to be at the cutting edge of innovation. look at the biden administration, this sec, you look at the regulatory onslaught. they are using the legal framework that they are, the lack of legal framework, i should say, to come in and regulate this industry by litigation. what we will look for is a great opportunity for crypto to expand, putting the ited states at the cutting edge. >> your kids, we could have been multi-millionaires. great, thanks. >> don't bring it up. it's a tough conversation at thanksgiving and christmas. >> i'm curious, senator, there's a lot of people -- a lot

it's not hegseth, we've learned trump is not only considering ernst, but also tennessee senator bill haggerty, and florida governor ron desantis. >> it's not 100% clear who he wants for secretary of defense right now. and i defer to him. >> david: let's get to mary bruce, live at the white house again tonight. senator joni ernst since want to engage when asked about being a possible replacement for hegseth. how about governor ron desantis tonight? >> reporter: david, desan twist has made it clear, he is interested in the job, but they were bitter rivals during the primary. it would be something to see desantis join the trump administration, given their past. david? >> david: mary, thank you. >>> we're learning more about the massive chinese hack here in the u.s. federal authorities saying chinese hackers successfully stole data from hundreds of thousands of americans, hacking at least eight telecommunications companies, and now suggesting that americans who don't want their conversations stolen by china, to use apps for encrypted messaging. here's pierre thomas. >> reporter: tonight, the chai

hegseth, we've learned trump is not only considering ernst, but also possibly tennessee senator bill haggerty, and florida governor ron desantis. >> it's not 100% clear who he wants for secretary of defense right now. and i defer to him. >> david: let's get to mary bruce, live at the white house again tonight. mary, senator joni ernst didn't really want to engage when asked about being a possible replacement for hegseth. how about governor ron desantis tonight? does he want the job? >> reporter: david, sources tell us that trump and desantis did speak about this yesterday, and desantis made it clear he is interested in the job. but they were bitter rivals during the primary. it would be something to see desantis join the trump administration, given their past. david? >> david: mary, thank you. >>> we're also learning more tonight about the massive chinese hack into phone systems right here in the u.s. federal authorities acknowledging for the first time chinese hackers successfully stole data from hundreds of thousands of americans, hacking at least eight telecommunications companies, and now

hi lindsey graham, hi, tommy tuberville, high bill haggerty. aren't you glad you took the reputational huhumiliating hit to vouch for matt gaetz and he dropped out and now we've got the ethics committee accusing him officially of statutory rape and drug use including him allegedly setting up an e-mail address in his congressional office he specifically used to score pot. was that worth it for you? do you want to do it again? don't forget all the congressional republicans who went on the record and voted to make sure that this information would be kept secret so matt gaetz could have a chance of becoming attorney general of the united states without the public ever finding out all the evidence that congress collected about, again, statutory rape, prostitution, drug use, et cetera. that includes the very, very, very pious, bibically guided speaker of the house who went out in public and strenuously argued that the american public should not be allowed to know the evidence that the house had collected about matt gaetz. and the american public shou

i've spoken with several lawmakers about this including tennessee senator bill haggerty, stephen miller watch. >> you definitely need it for the tax extensions but there are legislative elements, what's going on at the border right now that we need to stop, whether it's one or two. my preference would be to do it one time as quickly as we can. >> whether we do it one track or two tracks, the president is going to get his agenda enacted through congress and it will be historic. maria: you're going to need two reconciliation packages, aren't you? >> it looks like that's the direction that we're going right now. i mean, we're still in negotiations but if i was a betting woman, i would bet that we're going to see two reconciliation packages. maria: joining me now is kentucky congressman, andy barr. great to see you. thank you for being here. do you agree with that, two reconciliation packages to get the agenda through? >> well, look, i agree that we're going to get all of these priorities done but my preference would be, one, because i don't think we should delay the tax cuts, and frankly w

the list includes senators joni ernst, bill haggerty, as well as mike waltz, who could slide over and for that job instead. three republican sources say that at least half a dozen gop senators are not comfortable with supporting hegseth because of allegations of sexual assault, which hegseth denies. that's exclusive reporting from our team led by courtney kube and now exclusive nbc news reporting also that 10%, excuse me, ten current and former fox news employees say that hegseth's drinking habits were a concern to colleagues. the trump transition team says those allegations are disgusting, unfounded, and false. we begin with garrett haake, courtney kube, "washington post" national editor, phil rucker, and former press secretary to republican house speakers boehner and ryan, brandan buck. courtney, you boca the roke the. what did you learn? >> it comes on the heels of a number of different stories with allegations about character concerns regarding pete hegseth. so of course, we've heard about allegations that he was involved in a potential sexual assault. of course, he, there was a p

i'm talking about someone like bill haggerty who told kristen welker that but you have more republicansre establishment type republicans who think chris wray, the current fbi director, appointed by trump in the first term, is doing a great job. this is someone that allie laid out biden has kept on his ten-year term. his term does not run out until 2027. that is exactly what we are hearing from the top democrat on the senate judiciary committee dirk durbin releasing a statement saying the senate should reject this unprecedented effort for this campaign of retribution that trump has promised. that is the first committee that kash patel is going to have to face in his confirmation process. certainly the fbi is the main investigative arm of the doj behind matt gaetz, who withdrew his name to lead that agency. kash patel certainly has the steepest battle to confirmation. take a listen to senator mike rounds and senator chris murphy, a democrat on this. watch. >> the president gets the benefit of the doubt on the nomination, but we still go through a process and that process includes advice a

that's republican senator from tennessee, bill haggerty. he is another one. a little bit more diplomatic experience having served in this position as an ambassador, but all those names are out there. the reason this is so notable today is that for the last several weeks, despite all the concerns we've heard about pete hegseth and some of his policy decisions and now these character concerns that have been coming out over the last three weeks or so, for the first time now, we are hearing real talk about people who could possibly replace him for the job, jose. >> and i know you helped break the story of the current and former fox news employees speaking out about pete hegseth's alleged drinking. how concerned are they? >> yeah, so this goes to one of those character concerns that we frankly have been hearing about now in multiple reports. where ours is a little different here is this is talking, we spoke with ten current and former fox news employees who spoke about how his drinking impacted them while they were working with him. now, these are individuals who

bill haggerty, another republican senator name has been floated for multiple other jobs but repeatedlysed up and other notable name is michael waltz, already been tapped to be his national security adviser but we're told could be shifted into the position to be the d.o.d. nominee. and each of those individuals would be expected up on capitol hill to much have much easier path toward confirmation than what pete hegseth is currently enduring. this comes at a time for donald trump in which there are serious questions about his judgment and the decision to bypass the typical fbi process and the belief whoever he puts forward for nomination would be able to pass through the republican majority senate, clearly with matt gaetz going down the decision is then made quite clear from republican senators they're not going to be a rubber stamp for whoever he puts forward simply because donald trump won including with the popular vote. >> so, we got new sound from blumenthal who was spoken to by garrett haake who asked him about the status on the hill. we want to play for you what blumenthal told ou

you look at the backup alternatives to pete hegseth those are people, ron desantis, joni ernst, bill haggerty that don't necessarily fit that mold. that's my question if he doesn't get pete hegseth who does he turn to and turn to in year three and four because we've seen a history of secretaries through his first administration leave within a year or two. >> i mean, david jolly, there is something fascinating about the depth of pete hegseth's sort of scandal and the scandal-driven coverage has blotted out the extremism coverage and courtney kube was on the air a couple days ago when the two nbc news stories broke one with ten sources talking about his drunkenness and drinking at fox news. the other was about the six senators being uncomfortable with his nomination, which is, obviously, too many senators to vote no for him to get through, and she made this point that she thought having covered every nominee and candidate to be secretary of defense since rumsfeld, she thought we would be covering the things that made him extreme at a policy level. i wonder your thoughts about how we're three we

president-elect is considering other options for the job including iowa senator ernst, tennessee senator bill haggertyesantis. a one time rival who is now lavishing praise on trump and his cabinet picks. >> i think donald trump, he's making sure he's getting people who have the proper posture for these institutions. >> reporter: trump's advisers have said the president-elect still backs pete hegseth and wants him to keep fighting. but it comes as sources tell abc news growing number of senators have signaled they are not behind the nominee. >> is drinking a problem, sir? the new york reporter he was forced to step down from leading two conservative veterans group. >> the people who have spoken out, are they lying? >> reporter: on the defensive when asked about his past comments saying women should not serve in combat. >> how do you feel about women in combat? >> we've got amazing women in our military. >> do you think they should be in combat? >> if they're already in combat. >> reporter: this morning his mother defending her son. >> pete is a new person. he is redeemed, forgiven, changed. i think we

>> reporter: also on the list tennessee senator bill haggerty and trump's one time primary rival, governorantis. sources saying he's made it clear to trump he's interested in the role. this morning trump's most fervent supporters saying they'll follow his lead, even if it's not clear who he will ultimately choose. all this as abc news is learning president biden is considering preemive pardons who officials believe the white house may be targeted under the trump administration. hegseth can only afford to lose the support of three republican senators and still get the job. he is expected back on the hill, hoping he can sway enough of them to get over the finish line. george? >> george: thanks. we're going to stay in washington to the supreme court where justices heard oral arguments about a politically charged tennessee law that bans medical innovation for transgender minors. senior national correspondent terry moran is in washington with the story. good morning, terry. >> reporter: good morning, george. this is one of the most divisive issues in the country, played a big role in the presid

critics and democrats have said patel doesn't have the experience for the job republican senator bill hearing haggerty people serving in the current administration who doesn't have experience. american public turning these agencies around completely corrupted. cash has pointed it out. probably the best uncovering what has happened at the fbi. i look forward to seeing him take it apart. >> in the current director of the fbi christopher wray is 7 years into his current 10-year term which ends in 20278 r. 7 he would have to be confirmed by the senate and trump would have to fire christopher wray. back to you. >> brian: what a busy weekend. bill, thank you. appreciate it. as kash patel is about to go after the deep state one democratic lawmaker doesn't even think the deep state exists. >> i haven't seen what the proof is that the caribbean has been n weaponized. i think that's what they mean about politicization in the deep state. the deep state nobody has defined it apparently means anybody who doesn't do the will of donald trump. >> brian: meh. nobody believes that not even him. our next guest agrees k.

bill haggerty, the senator from tennessee, he has been consistently on this list of names of people that trump seems to want to get into the cabinet in whatever position. of course a former ambassador, now a senator himself. i do think that there is a view on capitol hill that certainly senator hearns, senator haggerty, these are people who are respected and could be confirmed in bipartisan fashion. i think someone that knows the hill but might have a little bit of it taller order, sort of explaining some of the things that he's done in florida and how that might apply to a role at the defense department. and then, of course, michael seems to have the respect, not only of his house colleagues but in a sense they could translate to the other side of the capital. i do think that there is a sense, much like pam, that the reception to whoever comes next will be much more palatable and potentially even bipartisan once it actually gets there. but look, once you start saying, okay, i'm going to police nominees because people don't like the profile of the person that i put in to disrupt this age