Senator Joni Ernst, Republican of Iowa, signaled on Monday that she would not oppose Pete Hegseth’s bid for defense secretary, hinting at a turnabout after days of hectoring and threats by President-elect Donald J. Trump’s hard-right supporters who threatened political retribution if she failed to fall into line.

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Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News personality and Trump’s choice for defense secretary, was accused of sexual assault by a woman in 2017, according to a report by Vanity Fair. Vanity Fair’s story prompted a statement from the California city of Monterey, where the alleged incident occurred along with a separate statement from Hegseth’s attorney.

President-elect Donald Trump is offering a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled choice to lead the Pentagon

A whistle-blower report and other documents suggest that Trump’s nominee to run the Pentagon was forced out of previous leadership positions for financial mismanagement, sexist behavior, and being repeatedly intoxicated on the job.

"As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources," Sen. Joni Ernst said in a statement.

Pete Hegseth said President-elect Donald Trump urged him to “keep fighting” in his quest to become the next secretary of Defense, as a key meeting appeared to bolster his path to confirmation.