President-elect Donald Trump's team expressed optimism following Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing, citing the positive reception he received from all GOP senators on the Armed Services Committee. The atmosphere was described as upbeat, with sources noting that there were no contentious moments during the hearing.
Leading up to the hearing, there were concerns within Trump's team about Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa. However, those concerns were alleviated when Ernst opened the hearing by praising Hegseth and entering a complimentary article about him into the record. This gesture was met with approval from the president-elect's team, who were pleased with the overall tone of the proceedings.
