Washington DC - President-elect Donald Trump has doubled down on his appointment of Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.

On Friday, Trump shared a post on his Truth Social platform, where he made it very clear that he has no intention of backing down on the nomination.

"Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe," Trump wrote.

"He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill," he added.

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"Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!"

Hegseth's nomination, which will require Senate approval, has been left in uncertainty amid newly revealed allegations of misconduct, alcohol abuse, and sexual assault against him.

Trump has been notably quiet as Hegseth and his running mate, JD Vance, have visited Capitol Hill in recent days to win over skeptical senators.

During an interview with CNN on Thursday, Hegseth's attorney, Tim Parlatore, claimed his client recently agreed to undergo an FBI background check.

"I am expecting that the background check is going to take a lot of the false stories that have been circulated in the media, and it's going to put them completely to bed," Parlatore said. "I think that the surprise you're going to find is how false all the reporting has been."