Pete Hegseth’s Controversies Threaten to Derail Defense-Secretary Bid

Republican senators said that they want closer scrutiny of President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Defense secretary and signaled the next few days could be critical for determining whether Pete Hegseth has enough support to be confirmed.

The former Fox News host was an unconventional choice for the top Pentagon job, as he has never led a large government agency, but the debate about his qualifications has been overshadowed by allegations related to his personal life. A 2017 sexual-assault allegation, which he later paid his accuser to keep secret, blindsided Trump...