In a dramatic late-night vote, the U.S. Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as the next Secretary of Defense, with 51 votes in favor and 50 against, mostly along party lines.
Three Republican senators broke ranks with their party, opposing his nomination, ultimately forcing Vice President JD Vance to cast the deciding vote, a rare occurrence in cabinet nominations as nominees typically receive broader support.
Following his confirmation, President Trump congratulated Pete Hegseth on Truth Social, stating, “Congratulations to Pete Hegseth. He will be a great Secretary of Defense!”
This marks the second time in U.S. history that a Vice President has broken a tie in a nomination deadlock. In 2017, former Vice President Mike Pence also broke a tie to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education.
Hegseth, a China hawk, views the Chinese Communist Party as the biggest strategic threat to the U.S. He pledged to “urgently strengthen our military posture in the Indo-Pacific region to contain China’s aggressive behavior” upon Senate confirmation.
“We will work with our partners and allies to deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific region,” Hegseth said during earlier hearings this month.
However, his nomination has stirred controversy domestically in the U.S., focusing on his lack of management experience and allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
After Hegseth’s nomination by Trump, his ex-sister-in-law Danielle Hegseth submitted an affidavit alleging abuse towards his second wife Samantha Hegseth, claiming Samantha had to hide in a closet and even formulate escape plans.
However, Samantha denied these accusations via an email to NBC News, stating “This information is inaccurate.”
While Senate Republicans largely dismissed these accusations, the confirmation process lost the support of two Republican senators: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.
In the final confirmation vote on Friday, Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell also joined the opposition. Despite supporting Hegseth’s nomination in a procedural vote a day earlier.
This contrasts with the earlier vote results this week, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio was unanimously confirmed with a 99-0 vote.
Hegseth will become the second youngest U.S. Secretary of Defense in history. During Senate hearings, he stated that his top priorities upon taking office would be to restore the warrior spirit at the Pentagon and throughout the fighting forces, rebuild trust in the military, revitalize the defense industrial base, and enhance the deterrence capabilities of the U.S. military to ensure the safety of the homeland, borders, and airspace.
He is also expected to vigorously pursue Trump’s Pentagon agenda, including eliminating programs like the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiative.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker praised Hegseth as a “good choice,” stating that he is “open to new ideas” and “unwilling to accept the status quo.”
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer criticized Hegseth as “one of the most inconsistent, unqualified, and unsuitable cabinet nominees we have seen in modern history.”
He warned his Republican colleagues to carefully consider his thin resume and questionable past behavior before entrusting him with the responsibility of managing the U.S. military.
Schumer cautioned, “When in charge of leading our armed forces, misconduct is not just a character flaw, it could mean the difference between avoiding military conflict and determining the life and death of our forces.”