Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s increasingly beleaguered pick for defense secretary, is purportedly turning to a very close ally to boost his chances of getting the gig: his mom.

Recent news reports have outlined allegations that the former Fox News host has a history of excessive alcohol use and mistreatment of women, including a 2017 accusation of rape — which may make his confirmation a challenge.

Hegseth has vowed not to drink as defense secretary and has denied any wrongdoing, saying the sexual encounter from 2017 was consensual, but it’s unclear if that will be enough. So he’s apparently enlisted the help of mother Penelope Hegseth, with The Hill’s Mychael Schnell writing, “Pete Hegseth told RSC [Republican Study Committee] members his mom has been making calls to senators on his behalf.”

Many people on X, formerly Twitter, were amused by Schnell’s reporting, in part because Pete Hegseth’s mother is said to have called him an “abuser of women” in 2018 when he was getting a divorce.

Penelope Hegseth on Wednesday spoke in support of her son on Fox News, saying that he is a “new person” who is “redeemed, forgiven, changed.”

Still, X users found it impossible to defend the aspiring defense secretary in light of the news, with one person sarcastically writing, “Real men need their moms to call Senators for them.”

And, yes, there was a lot more mockery and ridicule. Thanks for asking.