Pete Hegseth Narrowly Confirmed as Next U.S. Defense Secretary
Pete Hegseth was confirmed as the next U.S. defense secretary on Friday, a major victory for President Donald Trump after a fierce opposition from Democrats and even some Republicans to his controversial nominee.
Hegseth was confirmed with a 50-50 vote in the Senate, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie in his role as president of the Senate. He was sworn in on Saturday and issued a message to the military, stressing “restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and re-establishing deterrence.”
Hegseth, a former Fox News personality and decorated veteran, is promising to bring major changes to the Pentagon. However, his leadership will be under intense scrutiny after a bruising confirmation review that raised serious questions about his qualifications, temperament, and views on women in combat.
Three Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Mitch McConnell, voted against Hegseth, with McConnell saying he had failed to demonstrate the ability to effectively manage the complex and large organization of the military.
Hegseth’s nomination was also rocked by a series of accusations, including one from his former sister-in-law, who alleged he abused his second wife. Hegseth strongly denied the accusations, and his wife had previously denied any physical abuse.
Despite the opposition, Trump remained staunchly behind his pick and put pressure on his fellow Republicans to back the 44-year-old television personality. The vote demonstrated the extent of Trump’s power at the start of his second term in office.
Hegseth will lead 1.3 million active-duty service members and nearly 1 million civilians who work for the U.S. military, which has a nearly $1 trillion annual budget. He has criticized diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the military and has questioned the role of women in combat roles.
