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President-elect Donald Trump's choice of Fox News personality Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense is on life support amid allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse, backed up by police reports and the testimony of colleagues. But Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) told CNN's Jake Tapper he's still all in on the nomination, demanding Hegseth's accusers come forward and talk to the media if they're so truthful.

But then, as soon as it was pointed out to him that one of the most significant accusers was given a hush payment, he flatly refused to support overturning that agreement.

Fox News personality Pete Hegseth's attorney Tim Parlatore defended him vigorously Wednesday in an interview with CNN anchor Jake Tapper, as Hegseth's nomination to serve as President-elect Donald Trump's Secretary of Defense appears on the ropes amid allegations of sexual misconduct and alcohol abuse.

"What happened is, you know, he was the head of this organization, they did a lot of great work," said Parlatore, who is also known for representing Trump during some of his legal battles.

An Iraq War veteran on Wednesday tore into President-elect Donald Trump’s selections to lead key military departments, including his nominee for U.S. Secretary of the Navy who comes to the table with no military experience.

Trump’s head-spinning approach of filling government positions with eyebrow-raising, non-traditional choices is part of a grander strategy, according to Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

CNN's Jake Tapper cornered Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) on Wednesday, as Schmitt tried to defend Donald Trump's right to nominate Fox News personality Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon, despite allegations of sexual misconduct and drinking problem — which has led several Republican senators to waffle on whether they'll vote to confirm him, and Hegseth resorting to drastic measures to try to whip votes.

"Do you have any concerns about these issues?" Tapper asked.

An Iraq War veteran on Wednesday chided Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to run the Department of Defense, over his decision to have his mom defend him on Fox News.

MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace opened her Wednesday show by expressing empathy for the horrors that Hegesth's family has faced as accusations against him continue to emerge.

Donald Trump and his transition team are firing a warning shot at Fox News personality Pete Hegseth and his troubled nomination for Secretary of Defense by allowing leaks that they are considering other people for the role, Biden White House communications strategist Meghan Hays told a CNN panel on Wednesday.

Hegseth appears not to have the votes among Senate Republicans for confirmation, amid the release of a police report into his alleged history of sexual assault, and colleagues coming forward to say he has a severe drinking problem. He has sat for an interview with Fox News to try to get all of these problems cleared up — but the Trump team is already floating replacing him with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said he was open to voting for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) to be secretary of defense if the Florida governor "finally admits that he has lifts in his boots."

Fetterman made the remarks on Wednesday while speaking to CNN's Manu Raju about the possibility that DeSantis could replace former Fox News host Pete Hegseth as President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for defense secretary.

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) criticized President-elect Donald Trump for nominating billionaires and people with problematic records to serve in his incoming administration.

In a House floor speech on Wednesday, McGovern argued that Trump was not fulfilling voters' expectations with his nominations.

Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for defense secretary, compared himself to conservative Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after facing allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse.

Punchbowl News correspondent Mica Soellner reported that Hegseth's remarks came during a Wednesday lunch with congressional Republicans.

The Georgia Department of Public Safety confirmed that Tennessee state Sen. Ken Yager (R) was arrested for driving under the influence after a hit-and-run crash on Tuesday.

According to WTVF, Yager was driving a Ford Edge SUV with Tennessee Senate-issued license plates on Jekyll Island at around 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

The co-hosts of "The View" continued their onslaught against Fox host Pete Hegseth, whom Donald Trump has named to lead the Department of Defense. One former Trump aide explained any defense person must be "above reproach" to be successfully confirmed.

The panel began discussing Hegseth's mother, who blasted him in a leaked email. She spoke to Fox about it Wednesday, promising that he wasn't that kind of person she had once criticized for being an abusive personality "anymore."