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Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of the Department of Defense, met with several Republican senators on Thursday in a bid to bolster support for his contentious nomination. The former Fox News host is under scrutiny due to new information surfacing about a 2017 sexual assault claim against him.

Hegseth, accompanied by Vice President-elect JD Vance, conferred with Republican senators, including John Barrasso, Roger Wicker, Marsha Blackburn, and Bill Hagerty, on Capitol Hill. He expressed his gratitude for the nomination and emphasized the gravity with which he views the Senate's role in his confirmation. "It's an incredible opportunity that I do not take lightly," Hegseth stated.

Sen. Barrasso lauded Hegseth as a "strong nominee," underscoring his commitment to focusing on "strength and hard power" rather than what were termed as the "current administration's woke political agenda." Similarly, Sen. Wicker, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, indicated that Hegseth's confirmation process might proceed smoothly, saying the nominee would be in "pretty good shape."

The discussions with Republican senators coincide with the emergence of a police report from 2017, in which a woman accused Hegseth of sexual assault. She alleged that Hegseth took her phone and prevented her from leaving the room. While Hegseth maintained that the encounter was consensual, the woman claimed she was heavily intoxicated and repeatedly said "no" during the incident.

Addressing the allegations on Thursday, Hegseth asserted that the matter had been thoroughly investigated, and he was "completely cleared." Sen. Wicker, when asked if the allegations were discussed, noted that they did not delve into specifics, reflecting that no charges had been brought by the authorities.

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst voiced her opinion that an FBI background check would be beneficial in better understanding the nominee. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a combat veteran, Ernst emphasized the need for a thorough vetting process, stating, "there's a lot floating around out there, we need to actually be able to visit with him face to face."

Hegseth, an Army veteran, has previously stirred controversy with his calls for a "frontal assault" on the Department of Defense, suggesting the firing of "woke" generals and the elimination of diversity goals. He has also publicly argued against women serving in combat roles.

This Capitol Hill visit follows on the heels of JD Vance and former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s meetings with senators. Gaetz, who was nominated to be Trump's attorney general, withdrew his name following the House Ethics Committee's decision not to release a report on allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use against him.