Lawmakers and allies weighed in on Trump's defense secretary nominee and the questioning he faced from senators during his confirmation hearing.

Donald Trump’s choice for defense secretary is heading into a potentially explosive Senate confirmation hearing.

Pete Hegseth, the controversial former Fox News host, has been accused of sexual assault and faces a grueling confirmation hearing on the path to becoming the next secretary of defense.

President-elect’s controversial pick for secretary of defense will face tough questions about his past from senators as he makes case to lead Pentagon

Asked directly about the sexual assault allegation, Hegseth dismissed it as a “smear campaign” as he portrayed himself as unfairly attacked.

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, has publicly faced senators for the first time.

Trump’s nominee to run the defense department is an accused rapist who’s also expressed admiration for the Confederacy. His confirmation hearings start Tuesday.

Confirmation hearings get underway this week on Capitol Hill, as President-elect Donald Trump's pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is scheduled to appear Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Trump's nominees for secretary of State, attorney general, CIA director, Energy secretary and Transportation secretary went before Senate committees.

Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Energy Chris Wright testifies during his Senate Energy and Natural Resources confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on Jan. 15. Confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees began this week. It won't be easy sledding for some of the candidates to lead America's government agencies.

WASHINGTON — Former Texas congressman John Ratcliffe, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the CIA, vowed to make the agency more muscular while keeping its work apolitical during his nomination hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday.

Some are expected to have smooth confirmation paths, like Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, while others, like defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth, face headwinds.