Conservatives erupted Tuesday on social media following an exchange between Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth and freshman Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., regarding gender identity.

Pete Hegseth, military analyst at Twenty-First Century Fox Inc. and US secretary of defense nominee for US President-elect Donald Trump, during a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Kent Nishimura)

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon, faced some tough questions from Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Long speculated as a potential GOP holdout, Sen. John Curtis said Wednesday that he supports Donald Trump's embattled defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth.

Donald Trump's pick for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, is facing stiff criticism from Democrats—but most Republicans back him.

Hegseth, 44, is a combat veteran and former Fox News host. The committee voted along party lines to advance his nomination to the full Senate.

A cloud of controversy has hung over Hegseth, but he now appears to be on track to be confirmed as Trump's defense secretary.

The nominee can only afford to lose three GOP senators if Democrats unite against him so attention could now shift to Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins and other potential swing votes.

Initial Republican holdout supporting Pete Hegseth as secretary of Defense, Sen. Joni Ernst, questioned the nominee about her top three issues during his hearing Tuesday morning.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) reaffirmed his pressure on President-elect Trump’s Department of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth and said he asked tough questions last week because his Republican colleagues needed to hear the answers.

A small group of Republican lawmakers met with President Trump in the Oval Office on his first full day as they plan to rocket launch the MAGA agenda.