Hegseth 'doing a great job': top Republican Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., tells reporters Pete Hegseth 'will be confirmed.'

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.

Hegseth was cool in the face of this unhinged questioning. They made him look good today,” said Scott Jennings on CNN.

Democrats repeatedly called Pete Hegseth unfit to be secretary of defense, but Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee expressed nothing but support for his candidacy at a confirmation hearing.

President-elect Donald Trump chose Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense because he’s a combat veteran and change agent who isn’t afraid to take on the vital job of rebuilding the U.S. military from woke to lethal. He is the right person for the job, and I fully support him as our next secretary of defense.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Tuesday expressed strong support for Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, praising the combat veteran’s cautious approach to military intervention.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. speaks at the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be Defense secretary, at the Capitol in Washington,

Democrats say Hegseth’s lack of experience, comments about women and Black troops, and allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct make him unfit to serve. Some takeaways from the hearing:

JACK SMITH’S MIDNIGHT RIDE — Six days before President-elect DONALD TRUMP is due to be sworn as the victor of the 2024 election, special counsel JACK SMITH’s report into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election is finally here.

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's embattled pick for defense secretary, faced senators on Tuesday for a contentious confirmation hearing. Hegseth was grilled by members of the Armed Services Committee on allegations of misconduct and sexual impropriety he's denied -- as well as his position on military policy issues,

Thune spoke about a lack of "clarity" when suggesting that clearing confirmation hearings wasn't as certain for Patel as for Hegseth.