All it took was a few threats from MAGA-land and Ernst became more positive about the Pentagon nominee, despite the troubling allegations.

The Iowa senator is known for her work to curb sexual assaults in the military. How will she reconcile that with allegations against Hegseth, Trump’s defense secretary pick?

My old friend, Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, seems to be buckling, which is disappointing, because my experience with her is that she was fairly feisty. After all, this is a woman, a veteran, and someone who ran her first senatorial campaign on the strength of her skill at castrating pigs. But now, she's apparently flinching. From The New York Times: