Pete Hegseth could hardly be more suited to be Donald Trump’s secretary of Defense — even though he’d surely be deemed unqualified by any conventional president.

Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who had been seen as a key Republican skeptic of Pete Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Defense Department, said she will support him after his performance at Tuesday’s confirmation hearing.

President-elect Donald J. Trump’s defense secretary pick will almost surely be asked about his alcohol use and an accusation of sexual assault when he appears before a Senate committee.