The Armed Services Committee gaveled out at 1:45 p.m., after hours of questions posed to Hegseth.

The hearing largely centered on allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement that Hegseth's faced. Hegseth has denied those accusations, bemoaning them as a "coordinated smear campaign."

Senators also debated Hegseth's qualifications and whether he is experienced enough to lead an agency as large as the Department of Defense.

Relatively little time was spent discussing foreign policy or Trump's military objectives in a second term.

Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan asked Hegseth multiple times if he would push back should he ever be asked to carry out an illegal order as defense secretary.

"I reject the premise that President Trump is going to be giving illegal order," Hegseth said.

Sen. Mark Kelly brought up specific allegations of public intoxication made against Hegseth during his time at a veterans nonprofit.

The Arizona Democrat and veteran asked Hegseth to respond "true or false" to the allegations, which included having to be carried out from functions drunk.

Hegseth responded repeatedly only by calling them "anonymous smears."

Kelly concluded his time by accusing Hegseth of misleading the committee and the country about his self-proclaimed personal challenges.

"It’s hard to square this circle,” Kelly said. “Which is it? Have you overcome personal issues or are you the target of a smear campaign? It can’t be both. It’s clear to me that you’re not being honest with us or the American people because you know the truth would be disqualifying for the job."

Sen. Eric Schmitt, a Missouri Republican, argued Americans are "tired of woke ideology" as he questioned Hegseth on DEI programs and other military policy initiatives.

Schmitt also had a message for Democrats: "If you haven't picked up on that, you missed the plot, because that's what Nov. 5 partially was about."

Schmitt praised Hegseth as a "disrupter" of the ilk that Americans who voted for Trump want in Washington.

Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen grilled Hegseth on his past comments about women serving in the military, including his previous comments that women should not serve in some combat roles.

"Senator, I would like to clarify, when I'm talking about that issue, it's not about the capabilities of men and women, it's about standards," Hegseth said. "And this committee has talked a lot about standards, standards that we unfortunately, over time, have seen eroded in certain duty positions, certain schools, certain places, which affects readiness, which is what I care about the most, readiness."

During the exchange, Shaheen asked Hegseth for his message to the almost 400,000 women serving today who she said now may wonder whether they can rise to the highest ranks of the military.

"I would say I would be honored to have the opportunity to serve alongside you, shoulder to shoulder, men and women, Black, white, all backgrounds with a shared purpose," Hegseth said. "Our differences are not what define us. Our unity and our shared purpose is what define us. And you will be treated fairly and with dignity, honor and respect, just like every man and woman in uniform."

After a tense back and forth, Shaheen said to Hegseth: "I appreciate your eleventh-hour conversion."