President-elect Donald Trump’s team stood by Pete Hegseth, his nominee for defense secretary, after media reports that police investigated a sexual assault claim against him and that his tattoos raised concern by a fellow Army member.

“I think we have to take his word for it,” Ms Beirich told Reuters.

Pete Hegseth, the Army National Guard veteran and Fox News host nominated by Donald Trump to lead the Department of Defense, was flagged as a possible Insider Threat by a fellow service member due to a tattoo on his bicep that's associated with white supremacist groups.