Normally a staunch ally of President-elect Donald Trump, Ernst looked as though she was preparing to step out of line when it came to letting him select his next secretary of defense. Her brief rebellion looks like it came to an end after a torrent of criticism from Trump’s allies, including hints she wouldn’t have a clear path to reelection without a primary challenge in 2026, appears to have softened her opposition to Hegseth.

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Hegseth has been one of Trump’s most scrutinized picks for his Cabinet, with accusations of misconduct and past excessive drinking being thrown at him — all claims he has denied. Despite calls by some for Trump to replace Hegseth with a different nominee, such as Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) or Ernst, the president-elect has stood by him, and it appears Hegseth has made progress with his bid to win over Ernst.

Ernst, a former combat veteran and a survivor of rape and domestic violence, has made fighting sexual harassment in the military a key priority from her perch on the Senate Armed Services committee.

The Iowa Republican has largely been in line with Trump, heading up the Department of Government Efficiency caucus in the Senate. DOGE has been a key priority for Trump for his second term.

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Ernst said after her meeting with Hegseth last week that they had a “frank and thorough conversation,” but was mum on further details. When she went on Fox News’s America’s Newsroom the next day, she implied that she was not ready to vote “yes” on Hegseth after the allegations leveled against him.

“A number of our senators, they want to make sure that any allegations have been cleared and that’s why we have to have a very thorough vetting process,” Ernst said last week on Fox News. “The vetting will continue, I am certain, through the next month or so until we approach that hearing date.”

The Iowa senator’s apparent resistance to Hegseth leading the Pentagon led to outcry from supporters of Trump, including some calling for her to face a GOP primary opponent in her 2026 reelection bid.

Ernst flipped her seat in 2014, helping move the previously purple state firmly to the right. In the decade since she won the seat, Iowa has increasingly shifted in favor of Republicans, with Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) winning her 2022 reelection by 18.5% and Trump winning the state last month by 13.2%.

There was also pressure from inside her state. Although she wasn’t mentioned by name, an op-ed from Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird in Breitbart that was likely aimed at Ernst warned about the dangers of “D.C. politicians” who “think they can ignore the voices of their constituents.”

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Donald Trump Jr., was more explicit in his critique of Ernst. He posted a list of senators who voted to confirm Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, including Ernst, when he was nominated, before saying, “What a disgrace. If you’re a GOP Senator who voted for Lloyd Austin, but criticize [Hegseth] then maybe you’re in the wrong political party!”

Pressure has mounted with Trump reaffirming support for Hegseth, saying he is “doing very well” and is a “winner.” “There is nothing that can be done to change that,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

After pressure for Ernst to support Hegseth she held another meeting with him on Capitol Hill on Monday. The meeting appeared to show progress in the Defense secretary nominee’s efforts to woo the Iowa Republican.

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After leaving her office, Hegseth told reporters it was “a very good meeting with the senator.”

“The more we talk, the more we are reminded that we are two combat veterans who are dedicated to defense,” Hegseth said.

Shortly after the meeting, Ernst released a statement indicating she is open to supporting Hegseth in the confirmation hearings he will face in the coming weeks.

“I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process. Following our encouraging conversations, Pete committed to completing a full audit of the Pentagon and selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and value of our servicemen and women — based on quality and standards, not quotas — and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks,” Ernst said in a statement.

“As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources,” she added.

Even as Ernst has changed her tune on Hegseth, she could still face pressure for the hints at resistance she showed.

Heritage Action, a conservative group, is launching an effort to target Republican senators who have been resistant to Trump’s nominees, including Ernst, according to Axios.