Pete Hegseth pleads with House Republicans to go public in his defense

• The former Fox News host indicated to Republican Study Committee members that President-elect Trump remains fully behind him.
• "Someone asked how we can help from the House and he said to talk about how President Trump won overwhelmingly, this is a mandate from the people. He would appreciate any public support from members," one source in the room said.
• Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) attended the meeting alongside members of the conservative House caucus.

Inside the room: Hegseth — who attended the meeting for roughly 30 minutes — argued that "Trump told him when he picked him- he's tough, he's aggressive, he's gonna kick the doors in" and made the case the allegations against him are unsubstantiated, sources told Axios.

• Mullin took to the mics to praise Hegseth during the meeting, telling the room "Trump is 100% behind Pete and that Pete and his wife are handling the onslaught well," and alleging "this is an assault on your [Hegseth's] family."

The intrigue: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has emerged as a potential alternative for the position, sparking speculation Hegseth's nomination might be short-lived.

• Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told reporters on Wednesday his meeting with Hegseth, which was scheduled for Thursday, was cancelled — sparking further speculation Hegseth could be replaced.
• But Mullin dismissed the notion the cancelation is an ominous sign for his confirmation odds. He told reporters "It means nothing. I've had, I've had several people have to cancel meetings rescheduled," adding that "the window is tight but he can get through it."

The big picture: Hegseth can only lose three GOP senators, as no Democrats are expected to support him on the floor.

Go deeper: DOD pick Hegseth says he still has Trump's support in face of "smear" campaign