CNN
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Donald Trump’s choice of Pete Hegseth to head the Defense Department is in jeopardy as some key Republican senators ask him whether he is suitable for the job amid Republican insurgency.

No Republican has said they won’t support Hegseth, but even some of the Trump-aligned GOP senators, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, are now wondering whether Hegseth can survive the tightrope walk to confirmation, an ominous signal for the new white House sends. Hegseth must limit the defection of three Republican senators to three Republican senators, assuming all Democrats vote against him, and there are already more than three senators who are unsure whether they will support him.

“He obviously has a chance to defend himself here. But some of it is — it’s going to be difficult,” Graham, a longtime military veteran and Republican from South Carolina, said Tuesday. Hegseth, who has denied any wrongdoing, is under intense scrutiny over a number of allegations of misconduct, including a 2017 allegation of sexual assault that he has denied and for which no charges have been filed.

While many Republican senators insisted to reporters this week that they had not asked Hegseth about the allegations in private conversations with him, other Republican senators and senior aides have become increasingly frustrated by negative coverage of him

New Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker told CNN he expects a whistleblower report outlining allegations of misconduct during Hegseth’s time leading a veterans group. The New Yorker detailed the allegations in the report this week.

“I’m sure I’ll see it,” the Mississippi Republican told CNN. The New Yorker did not name the employees who prepared the whistleblower report, and CNN has not independently verified the report. Other reports have also surfaced about Hegseth’s behavior during his employment at Fox News.

Trump’s team carefully choreographed Hegseth’s first days on the Hill to create a sense of positive momentum in what a Senate GOP aide called “Operation Warp Speed ​​Coalition Building.” But despite all efforts, doubts have repeatedly been raised by Republican senators.

Hegseth, a former conservative commentator, has spent the last few days meeting many of Trump’s closest allies, including some who appeared on Hegseth’s own show during his time at Fox News.

He’s even working to expand his reach on the other side of the Capitol: He plans to meet with a group of House Republicans – the Republican Study Committee – on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the discussions. In another sign of how seriously the transition team is taking the GOP’s concerns, Hegseth is expected to participate in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, two people familiar confirmed to CNN.

Pro-choice advocates hope Hegseth’s answers will allay concerns that several Republican senators have expressed. His expected interview is notable because most, if not all, of Trump’s Cabinet members have been told to stay away from media appearances until they are confirmed.

Key Republicans have stressed that they want Hegseth to undergo an FBI background check, a typical part of nomination vetting but a process created by Trump that he may not require of nominees – and many say they are worried about a high profile confirmation hearing, traditionally one of the first in a president’s Cabinet.

Some Hill Republicans say they are even privately looking at potential alternatives, including one of their own: Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

Two of Trump’s proposals for his new administration have already been sidelined, including the high-profile withdrawal of former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, who faced his own allegations of sexual misconduct – which he also denied. Trump’s pick to head the Drug Enforcement Administration was withdrawn on Tuesday.

Commenting on Hegseth’s selection, Graham said, “Leadership comes from the top. And I want to ensure that every young woman who joins the military feels welcomed and respected.”

Graham is not the only Republican senator to acknowledge the growing accumulation of allegations against Hegseth.

Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, another key Trump ally, said: “Some new things that have come to light in the last 12 to 14 hours are things that he needs to deal with,” Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said , the allegations are “of course worrying”. Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma said he thought it was “reasonable” and “fair” to ask about allegations that Hegseth was drunk at work events.

“The president … should have the ability to make decisions about who he wants as an adviser. But the Senate also has a constitutional role,” Lankford said.

Senator Bill Cassidy said the allegations “must be addressed” and stressed the importance of a thorough vetting process for Trump’s Cabinet appointments.

The Louisiana Republican added: “A lot of people are going through a difficult time in their lives.”

Meanwhile, Hegseth has not announced any meetings with Democratic senators – a move that is atypical in the Senate nomination process.

It’s an unorthodox strategy, but one that Trump and his allies believe will help them win the top Pentagon job. The focus on Republican voices — from pro-Trump names to outward appearances — is intended to help isolate Hegseth.

“When he meets with us, he’ll be asked some of the obviously tough questions, so he might want to avoid them,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who sits on the Armed Services Committee, told CNN.

“Unlike the Supreme Court judicial nominees, there has been no indication that he is coming to us in a bipartisan spirit and seeking our support. He doesn’t ask for our support. This too is a puzzling and astonishing fact. No one. Absolutely no one has come forward and said, “Why don’t you sit down with this guy and really get to know him and see what his explanation is.”

Many in the Senate Republican Party said their questioning of Hegseth would focus primarily on his plans to reform the Pentagon while giving him the “benefit of the doubt” about the allegations against him, as Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota put it.

“He has denied any wrongdoing. My main interest is: “What kind of cultural change are we going to see in the Pentagon?” Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri said, adding that Hegseth was never charged.

“President Trump … has the right to choose who he wants to lead the Department of Defense, and I think Pete Hegseth is in a pretty strong position right now,” he added.

With the Senate having a narrow margin next year, the focus will be on more moderate Republican and establishment voices such as Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, as well as new Senator John Curtis of Utah.

Collins told CNN she believes Hegseth must go through the full congressional vetting process, including an FBI background check, before being confirmed.

“As I have told you repeatedly, I believe we need an FBI background check to evaluate the allegations,” she told CNN on Tuesday, adding that Hegseth would have to fill out the usual background questionnaire and participate in a public hearing hearing should attend. Collins hasn’t met Hegseth yet.

Republicans are also closely watching Ernst, who — as the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate — has raised concerns about Hegseth’s previous comments that women should not take on combat roles.

“I am saying very clearly that we should not have women in combat roles,” Hegseth said in a podcast in early November.

Ernst had previously said she wanted to have “a tough discussion” with him about the role of women in combat roles.

Hegseth told reporters Tuesday whether he believes women should take part in fights. His response: “I think they’re already in battle.”

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Danya Gainor, Morgan Rimmer, Ali Main, Ted Barrett and Haley Talbot contributed.