Republicans pushed forward with Pete Hegseth’s nomination as secretary of defense on Wednesday even after a damaging report emerged claiming that his second wife lived in fear of his “abuse.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he plans to get the full Senate to hold a final confirmation vote on Hegseth before the end of the week.

Amid Republican claims of “anonymous smears,” a named person — and a Hegseth, at that — accuses the defense secretary nominee of abusive behavior.

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)

The affidavit describes Hegseth’s treatment of his second wife, Samantha, and alleges repeat drunkenness and a domestic situation where Samantha Hegseth had a safe word to indicate if she was in

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

Senate Democrats are sounding the alarm over a sworn affidavit from the ex-sister-in-law of Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth that accuses him of being abusive toward his second wife. The document emerged Tuesday,

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.

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

Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth will publicly face senators for the first time Tuesday after weeks of privately pushing back on criticism over his qualifications and personal past. Sen. Eric Schmitt,

Amid Republican claims of “anonymous smears,” a named person — and a Hegseth, at that — accuses the defense secretary nominee of abusive behavior.