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.

As he assumes the presidency for a second time, Donald Trump brings with him a broad expanse of business relationships and financial entanglements—and the possibility that those associations could influence his decision-making in the White House.

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

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

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.

There’s not only one Donald Trump or Bill Clinton in the U.S. What's it like to share a presidential name? Ask Abraham Lincoln or Grover Cleveland.

Unlike any other president, Donald Trump has tested the words and ideas in the literal text of the US Constitution, from the Preamble through the 27th Amendment. There are multiple passages he has said or suggested he will ignore or reinterpret.

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.

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