Pete Hegseth. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The Trump transition proved today that it can impose its will on the Hill, even with a nomination that looked cooked before the holidays.

Why it matters: Not a single Republican showed signs on Tuesday of opposing Defense nominee Pete Hegseth. Now he’s got a clear path to the Pentagon.

• “Pete Hegseth hit a home run,” Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said on Fox News after the hearing.
• Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters Tuesday that Hegseth did well and expects he’ll be quickly confirmed.

Here’s the formula:

• Survive the first two weeks: Trump’s team got past the news cycles about Senate Republicans being quietly concerned about Hegseth’s nomination. They’ve told us for a month that if he can get to his nomination hearing, he’ll be fine.
• Sic MAGA foot soldiers on anyone suspected of falling out of line. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) was noticeably friendly at today’s hearing. Ernst told local radio on Wednesday that she’ll vote to confirm Hegseth.
• Stonewall the Dems: Only the committee’s top Democrat — Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) — was allowed to see Hegseth’s background check. Democrats were denied second rounds of questioning today. Hegseth didn’t meet with any of the rank-and-file Dems ahead of today’s hearing.
• Take advantage of the media’s shattered glass: Today’s most TV-ready moments from Senate Dems — Tim Kaine’s hypotheticals on Hegseth’s red lines and his behavior … Kirsten Gillibrand’s condemnation of his comments on women in the military … Mazie Hirono’s questions on his drinking — are unlikely to reach MAGA viewers.

Zoom in: If you look past the spicy back-and-forth on Hegseth’s character, there was a strong line of questions about whether he can do the job.

• The most prominent: Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) tried to pin down Hegseth on whether he’s ever led a major negotiation. She asked if he’s familiar with high-level pacts like ASEAN.

The Republicans on the panel were very clear that this isn’t a dealbreaker. They even suggested that his lack of traditional experience running bureaucracies would benefit someone trying to clean house at the Pentagon.

• They backed him as he suggested he’d purge top brass and cut hundreds or thousands of civilian support staff in the Pentagon.
• “The Dems struggled to land a blow or a gotcha moment,” Banks told Axios after the hearing.
• “With today’s performance, I believe Pete Hegseth’s path to confirmation has been assured,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a statement.

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