President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering replacing his defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis amid resistance to Hegseth from a selection of GOP senators.

Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has been among Trump’s most controversial Cabinet nominees due to questions on his qualifications to lead the Department of Defense and several allegations related to his personal life, including an accusation that he sexually assaulted a woman following a Republican conference in 2017.

GOP Senators Lindsey Graham and Susan Collins have publicly expressed concerns about the sexual assault allegation against Hegseth, raising doubts on the nominee’s ability to gain confirmation in the Senate despite Republicans taking control of the upper chamber next month.

Concerns from Trump allies that Hegseth might not “survive further scrutiny,” which could include an FBI background check, have now prompted the president-elect to consider DeSantis for the job instead, according to a Tuesday report from The Wall Street Journal citing “people familiar with the discussions.”

Newsweek reached out for comment to the Trump transition team via email on Tuesday night.

DeSantis, a close Trump ally before challenging him in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries, was a commissioned officer and lawyer in the U.S. Navy for many years before being elected Florida’s governor in 2018.

After declaring a “war” on “woke”—an often repeated but rarely defined conservative buzzword that is sometimes used in reference to diversity programs and issues like transgender rights—DeSantis overwhelmingly won reelection in 2022 despite his relations with Trump having already soured to some degree by that time.

Political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek in a statement on Tuesday that DeSantis leading the Department of Defense would give the governor an opportunity to take his “war” to the military, targeting diversity initiatives and energizing supporters but risking controversy. It has already been widely speculated that the incoming Trump administration will ban transgender troops from serving in the military.

“If he’s seriously considering DeSantis for Secretary of Defense instead of Hegseth, it signals a shift in his priorities,” Agranoff said. “DeSantis brings executive experience and a strong political following, which could solidify Trump’s support among conservatives and bolster his administration’s focus on domestic leadership in defense matters.”

“On the flip side, it may raise questions about Hegseth’s perceived qualifications or alignment with Trump’s strategic goals,” he added. “This decision, if true, could have significant implications for the administration’s dynamics and policy direction.”

Hegseth is also considered an “anti-woke” warrior but would likely face far greater difficulties in gaining Senate confirmation. If his nomination is withdrawn, it would be the second failure among Trump’s Cabinet picks, with the president-elect’s first choice for U.S. attorney general, former Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida, having already backed out.

Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham told CBS News on Tuesday that he thought the sexual assault allegations against Hegseth were “disturbing” and suggested that his confirmation would be “difficult,” while also saying that the nominee “obviously has a chance to defend himself.”

In comments to CNN, Collins demanded that Hegseth undergo “an FBI background check to evaluate the allegations,” while pointing out that the “normal” vetting process for Cabinet picks would also involve a likely contentious public hearing for Hegseth.

Update 12/03/24, 11:58 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and context.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is pictured greeting then-President Donald Trump in Fort Myers, Florida, on October 16, 2020. “The Wall Street Journal” on Tuesday reported that Trump is considering ditching his Department of Defense secretary… Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is pictured greeting then-President Donald Trump in Fort Myers, Florida, on October 16, 2020. “The Wall Street Journal” on Tuesday reported that Trump is considering ditching his Department of Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth and replacing him with DeSantis. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images