Senate Republicans are expressing optimism that Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Pentagon, earned the support he needs to be confirmed after he emerged mostly unscathed from his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) on Monday said President-elect Trump’s nominee for Defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is “vulnerable” to blackmail from U.S. foreign adversaries and reiterated her stance that he is not “qualified” to run the Pentagon. “It would sow confusion because our leaders in the military would not know to what they could talk to…

In a heated Senate confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, Sen. Tammy Duckworth grilled the proposed defense secretary over the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, asking him if he could name one member and how many countries were in the bloc.

Pete Hegseth on Tuesday battled through a high-stakes Senate hearing in which Democrats sought to paint the Pentagon nominee as inexperienced, unprofessional and toxic due to allegations of sexual

Francis Chung/POLITICO Entering his confirmation hearing to become secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth had been dogged by questions about his alcohol use, sexual assault allegations levied against him and his lack of experience at leading a complex government bureaucracy.

Awkward exchanges about the defense secretary hopeful’s past were plentiful as Democrats went after the first embattled Trump pick to face a confirmation hearing.