After the establishment media effectively erased former Rep. Matt Gaetz as President-elect Donald Trump's pick for AG, they trained their sights on veteran and Fox News host Pete Hegseth, who was tapped to lead the Department of Defense.

According to the New York Post, the ongoing vicious hit pieces on Hegseth, according to the man himself, are not unlike what happened to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh experienced after he was nominated and during his confirmation. 

A report from Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) indicated that during a meeting Hegseth had with her and others on Capitol Hill this week, Hegseth related his situation to what Kavanaugh experienced in 2018.

Hegseth has garnered widespread Republican support in both the House and Senate as he battles reports based on anonymous sources and irrelevant stories from his past.

What's happening?

Van Duyne opened up about the meeting with Hegseth, recalling what he said on Wednesday morning about the media onslaught against him.

"I think his point was, you know, a lot of anonymous sources can say anything," the Texas Republican lawmaker said. "That was one example that he said."

She added, "What we’re hearing from all of [the] folks who he’s working with for 18 years is, this is an honest, good guy."

The NY Post noted:

Anonymous accusers and whistleblowers at vet nonprofits Hegseth headed up have come out against the defense secretary-designee in recent weeks, claiming that in the 2010s the Army vet often drank on the job and made inappropriate sexual advances — including an alleged assault.

Along with several employees who used to work with Hegseth, he has firmly denied the allegations.

When asked in a podcast interview by Megyn Kelly if he felt he was being "Kavanaugh'ed" by the media, Hegseth revealed that a member of Congress told him privately that that's exactly what's happening.

"I had a member, not 45 minutes ago, look me in the eye in private, just he and I and say, ‘That’s what they’re trying to do to you,'" Hegseth quoted the unnamed lawmaker as having said. "‘That’s their playbook. Get ready for more.'"

Staying in the fight

Hegseth has vowed to keep fighting, especially after reassurance from Trump that he had his back.

"Kavanaugh stood up and he won. And hopefully Republicans have learned that lesson. And Trump stood by him," Hegseth said.

Though rumors have circulated regarding a handful of Republican senators who might oppose his confirmation, Hegseth has said not one Republican member has told him they wouldn't vote him in. Let's hope it stays that way.