Mississippi, Armed Services Chair, said Pete Hegseth "helped himself immensely" after the contentious hearing.

"We must not underestimate the importance of having a top-shelf communicator as secretary of defense," Wicker said.

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:

Iowa senator Joni Ernst, a veteran Republican and herself a victim of sexual assault, has been less than enthusiastic about his nomination, however. If today’s hearings indicate she still has doubts - despite intense pressure from Trump's team to fall in line behind Hegseth - it could indicate that his path to confirmation still has some obstacles.

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.

The Senate is holding more confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks ahead of his return to office on Monday.

Following his win over Kamala Harris, Donald Trump has been assembling the administration for his second term in the White House.

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, goes before the Senate Armed Services Committee next week.

Three days ahead of Trump’s return to the White House, many of his most prominent Cabinet choices have sailed relatively unscathed through their hearings and are poised to win confirmation as Republican senators rallied around them and appeared largely unwilling to defy Trump’s wishes.

FIRST ON FOX: Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has selected four top Republican allies to be part of his unofficial cabinet as he looks to make his own impression on the upper chamber after taking the mantle from longtime GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.,

Why do social injustices and ecological harms persist despite the powerful social movements that have arisen throughout history to counter them?

Every president since Ronald Reagan has left a note for his successor, and President Joe Biden could be the first to write a letter to someone who is both his successor and the predecessor who left a note for him.