Trump's Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth's shock invitation to the FBI - as he walks back comments about women in the military

Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth remained defiant during a Monday night interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity. 

Hegseth, who worked at the conservative network before President-elect Donald Trump selected him to be a Pentagon chief, has had his nomination imperiled by a sexual assault allegation. 

Without detailing the accusation, Hannity pushed that there was 'videotape evidence' to dispute it and that Hegseth had been 'fully exonerated.' 

'It was fully investigated at the time, years ago, and I was completely cleared,' Hegseth said. 'And that's why Sean, you know what I look forward to? I look forward to the FBI background check.' 

'I look forward to the actual under oath conversations with senators as we go through the process,' the former Fox News anchor added. 

Hegseth blasted 'the left' for the allegations coming out in the press.

'It's the anatomy of a smear,' the Defense secretary hopeful said. 

Hegseth also used his conversation with Hannity to clarify comments he made about women serving in the military. 

'That I somehow don't support women in the military,' he said. 'Some of our greatest warriors, our best warriors out there, are women; who raise their right hand to defend this country and love our nation, want to defend that flag and they do it every single day around the globe.' 

He said if he's confirmed as Defense chief he would be a secretary 'for all our warriors, men and women, for the amazing contributions they make in our military.' 

Hannity did not press Hegseth on whether that meant he supported women in combat roles, something he earlier said that he didn't. 

Key swing votes for his nomination hinge on him getting the backing of several Republican women. 

Hegseth said he's meeting with Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska on Tuesday and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine on Wednesday. 

He had another meeting with Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa earlier Monday.  

Afterward, she expressed an openness to voting in the Fox News host's favor. 

'As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources,' Ernst said in a statement, saying the duo had 'encouraging conversations' earlier in the day.  

It's a sign that the tide has potentially turned in favor of confirming Hegseth, whose nomination sent shockwaves through Washington and was followed by reports of the sexual assault allegation and inappropriate workplace behavior. 

Ernst, an ex-Army reservist and Iowa Army National Guard member, is a sexual assault survivor herself. 

The New Yorker published a story on December 1 that detailed a number of drunken incidents involving Hegseth while he was the CEO of Concerned Veterans for America. 

Unnamed sources detailed Hegseth having to be restrained from dancing with strippers and drunkenly and angrily yelling 'kill all Muslims!' 

The New Yorker's story also detailed the alleged sexual assault, which resulted in Hegseth paying the woman and having her sign a non-disclosure agreement. 

Rolling Stone reported that Trump transition team officials were furious that Hegseth did not reveal the allegation and the NDAs when interviewed about the top Pentagon position.

'Pete wasn't interviewing for a job at McDonald’s; this is the f***ing Pentagon!' one Trumpworld source said. 

During his interview with Hannity Monday night, Hegseth pushed it was just media shenanigans. 

'They take something and then they add anonymous sources and contortions and flat-out lies and then they try to try you in the media before you can even get in doors with senators,' Hegseth said. 'And this is where I give so much credit to President Trump. He's got a backbone of steel. He never backs down. He called me and said, "Pete, you keep fighting."' 

'So if he can endure what he's done, Sean, then I can stick up to this lying press and fight on for the American people and our warfighters,' Hegseth added.