President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, received the support of two key Republican senators on Tuesday after a contentious confirmation hearing in the Senate. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) announced their intentions to support Hegseth in the confirmation process. 

Previously, both had expressed slight hesitations in supporting Hegseth for secretary of defense. After the hearing on Tuesday, both senators released statements pledging their support. Their statements were highlighted in separate communication messages distributed by the Trump-Vance transition team.