Pete Hegseth narrowly secured enough votes on Friday to become the next U.S. defence secretary, a major victory for U.S. President Donald Trump after fierce opposition from Democrats and even some Republicans to his controversial nominee.
The 44-year-old Hegseth was confirmed after a 50-50 vote in the Senate, when Vice-President J.D. Vance came to the chamber to break the tie, after three Republicans — Mitch McConnell, along with Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski — joined every Democrat and Independent in voting no.
Trump talked up Hegseth moments before Vance cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm him.
“We have a great secretary of defence and we’re very happy,” Trump said as he boarded Air Force One after surveying fire devastation in California.
The president said he didn’t care that McConnell, the former Republican Senate leader, voted against confirming Hegseth because the “important thing is winning.”
This is the second time a vice-president has had to break a tie on a Cabinet nominee. Former vice-president Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm Betsy DeVos as education secretary in Trump’s first term.
The Senate historian said at the time that Pence’s vote was the first by a vice-president to break a 50-50 tie on a Cabinet nomination.
Allegations, concerns about past behaviour
Hegseth’s confirmation came amid questions about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid allegations of heavy drinking and aggressive behaviour toward women.
Rarely has a Cabinet nominee faced such wide-ranging concerns about his experience and behaviour as Hegseth, particularly for such a high-profile role leading the U.S. military.
But the Republican-led Senate was determined to confirm the former Fox News host and combat veteran to round out Trump’s top national security Cabinet officials.
The Democrats who opposed his nomination thought otherwise of Hegseth’s suitability.
“Is Pete Hegseth truly the best we have to offer?” asked Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the armed services committee, urging his colleagues to think seriously about their vote.
But Senate Majority Leader John Thune opened Friday’s session saying that Hegseth, as a veteran of the National Guard who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, “will bring a warrior’s perspective” to the top military job.
“Gone will be the days of woke distractions,” Thune said, referring to the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives being slashed across the U.S. federal government. “The Pentagon’s focus will be on war fighting.”
Hegseth himself was working the phones late Friday to shore up his support, his confirmation at stake.
