presented by BP.

Good morning, everyone. I'm playbook co-author Rachel Bade. It's Wednesday, December 4th, and here's what's driving the day.

In the hours after Matt Gates withdrew from consideration for Attorney General, one Republican senator had this rather blunt prediction to me.

Pete's next. And yes, he met Pete Hegseth,

Trump's in battle pick to run the Pentagon. That, we'll note, was before the New Yorker

detailed whistleblower allegations about his extensive mismanagement of two veterans focused

on profits, and before the New York Times scooped that his mother once called him a, quote, despicable

abuser of women. That prediction that Pete's nomination was the next to fall appears to be coming

to fruition. Multiple Senate Republican and Trump world sources told me last night that Hexat's nomination

right now is on life support after those recent damaging revelations about

drinking on the job, sexual permacuity while he was married, and financial mismanagement

of even small organizations. Even some Republican senators closely allied with Donald Trump

appear to be souring on him. Just two days ago, for example, Senator Cynthia Lemous called the allegations against

Hexeth a, quote, side issue, rhetorically asking, are soldiers sometimes wild childs? Yes, that can

happen. Well, here's Lummus yesterday. These allegations that have come up in just the last 12 to 14

hours are a surprise to all of us. So yes, he does need to address

those because this was not something of which we were aware, nor was President Trump aware of them.

Different tune, to say the least. Then there's this from Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump's Senate

whisperer. I think some of these articles are very disturbing. He obviously has a chance to

defend himself here, but some of this stuff, it's going to be difficult. Again, that's Graham.

Trump, meanwhile, is reportedly considering tapping Ron DeSantis, yes, Ron DeSantis, his former

arch nemesis in Florida, to replace Hegsef as defense secretary. That's according to the

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