Republican senators who met Monday with Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, brushed aside sexual assault and other allegations against him.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., called the allegations a “side issue” while praising Hegseth’s ability to lead the Defense Department.

“Once again they are making derogatory comments about someone who has earned great credibility. Are soldiers sometimes wild children? Yes, that can happen,” Lummis said when asked if the allegations concern her, “but it’s very clear that this guy is the guy at a time when Americans have confidence in their own military Lose in our ability to do it.” Project strength around the world that Pete Hegseth is the answer to this concern.”

About 10 to 12 senators from the Republican Steering Committee, a group of conservative senators led by Mike Lee of Utah, met with Hegseth behind closed doors at the Capitol on Monday for less than an hour.

Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host, has been accused of misconduct several times since he was named Trump’s pick to lead the Defense Department (he has denied any wrongdoing). Most recently, a New Yorker article published Sunday revealed the contents of a previously unpublished 2015 whistleblower report from a veterans organization led by Hegseth that alleged he was repeatedly drunk on the job.

NBC News has not independently verified the report. Hegseth’s attorney declined to comment. In a statement to The New Yorker, an aide said the claims were “outlandish” and came from a “petty and jealous disgruntled former employee.”

The Trump transition team referred NBC News to a previous statement in support of Hegseth. Hegseth did not respond to blustering questions from NBC News about the New Yorker article and other allegations.

Senators offered Hegseth their full support after the meeting and downplayed the allegations.

“I have known Pete for a while and have always had positive experiences with him. I think he’s clearly committed to ensuring that we have a lethal military that scares the crap out of our enemies, is respected by our allies and is someone our allies can rely on,” said Sen. Rick Scott, R- Fla.

Lee did not say whether senators discussed any of the allegations with Hegseth, but said they discussed his vision for the Pentagon.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the media is “obsessed” with personal allegations against Hegseth and told reporters that every Cabinet nominee is subject to a background check, but perhaps not by the FBI – a new point of contention among lawmakers. As some Republicans say, the FBI should not be responsible for conducting background checks, violating standard practice.

A woman told police that Hegseth sexually assaulted her in 2017 after a Republican women’s convention in California, according to official records from a police investigation released last month. Hegseth has denied the allegations and has not been charged. He admitted to paying his accuser an undisclosed amount as part of a settlement.

Last week, The New York Times reported that Hegseth’s mother sent him an email calling him a “woman abuser” as part of his contentious divorce in 2018. She later told the Times that she regretted the email, which NBC News did not receive.

Hegseth’s lawyer declined to comment, but passed along a statement from the Trump transition team that said: “It is shameful but not surprising that the NYT ran a story about an out-of-context excerpt from an illegally obtained private conversation between published by a mother and a mother.” her son. The entire purpose of this exercise is to denigrate Mr. Hegseth.

Speaking to reporters Monday after meeting with Hegseth, Cruz called the New York Times story “shameful.”

Senators also pointed to Hegseth’s ability to increase retention and recruitment of young men and women in the military, despite previously suggesting that women should not serve. When asked about these comments, Lummis replied that they did not concern her.

“I think if he gets some fighter pilots who are women, the best of the best, maybe he’ll think twice about it,” she said.

In a podcast interview last month, Hegseth said women should not be allowed to fight on the front lines, claiming their presence had made the fight “more complicated.”

“I say very clearly that we should not have women in combat roles,” Hegseth said on “The Shawn Ryan Show” podcast last month. His comments sparked strong backlash from female veterans and service members.

The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Republican senators’ comments.