Last week, writing about Pete Hegseth’s hearing to be confirmed as secretary of defense, New York Times columnist David Brooks condemned the Senate committee’s Democrats for obsessing over the nominee’s “moral qualifications”—the allegations of alcohol abuse and sexual harassment—rather than his views on national security.

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

Pete Hegseth's former sister-in-law said in an affidavit to senators on Tuesday that President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon abused his second ex-wife to the point where she once hid in a closet and gave friends a code word to use in a crisis.

President Trump's transition team is quietly confident that Pete Hegseth will survive the latest allegation against him, transition officials and senators tell Axios. Why it matters: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) hinted Wednesday that she might vote against Hegseth,