Pete Hegseth confirmed as Trump’s defense secretary

Pete Hegseth has been confirmed as the new defense secretary in President Donald Trump’s cabinet despite objections and unease from both parties. 

The confirmation vote took place on Friday and was 51-50 with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. 

RELATED: How does Pete Hegseth's experience compare to previous defense secretaries?

FILE - Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, testifies during his Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing in Dirksen building on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The Senate's ability to confirm Hegseth despite a grave series of allegations against him will provide a measure of Trump's political power and ability to get what he wants from the GOP-led Congress, and of the potency of the culture wars to fuel his agenda at the White House.

Next week senators will be facing Trump's other outside Cabinet choices including particularly Kash Patel, a Trump ally who has published an enemies list, as the FBI director; Tulsi Gabbard as director of the office of national intelligence; and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, the anti-vaccine advocate at Health and Human Services.

Controversy

The backstory:

The former combat veteran and Fox News host faced allegations of excessive drinking and aggressive actions toward women, which he has denied. 

Trump has stood by Hegseth, and the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee has dismissed the claims as factually inaccurate.

Hegseth merely swatted away the allegations against him as "smears" as he showcased his military credentials and vowed to bring "warrior culture" to the role. 

He has also promised to not drink on the job if confirmed.

More allegations

A new claim emerged this week in an affidavit from a former sister-in-law who claimed Hegseth was abusive to his second wife to the point that she feared for her safety. Hegseth has denied the allegation. In divorce proceedings, neither Hegseth nor the woman claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse.

RELATED: Pete Hegseth faces Senate confirmation for Defense Secretary: What to know

A rift

Most Republicans, who hold a 53-seat majority in the chamber, have signaled they will back the nominee.

Even Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, herself a combat veteran and sexual assault survivor, has signaled her backing.

What they're saying:

"I am ironclad in my assessment that the nominee, Mr. Hegseth, is prepared to be the next secretary of defense," the chairman, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said in a statement on the eve of voting. "The Senate needs to confirm this nominee as fast as possible."

The other side:

Three Republicans, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, and Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, broke ranks with Trump and his allies who have mounted an extensive public campaign to push Hegseth toward confirmation. 

McConnell, the former GOP leader in the Senate, had not declared his vote, but signaled skepticism in an earlier speech when he declared he would confirm nominees to senior national security roles "whose record and experience will make them immediate assets, not liabilities." He ended up voting against Hegseth.

What they're saying:

"I remain concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and those aspiring to join," Murkowski wrote on social media.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer implored his colleagues to think seriously, "Is this the best man we have to lead the greatest military in the world?"

"One of the kindest words that might be used to describe Mr. Hegseth is erratic, and that’s a term you don’t want at DOD," Schumer said. "He has a clear problem of judgment."

Who is Pete Hegseth?

Hegseth, 44, has developed a close rapport with Trump, who also reportedly considered him for a post in his first administration. Hegseth has lobbied Trump to release service members accused of war crimes.

Hegseth has also authored a book titled "The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free." 

He was an infantry captain in the Army National Guard and served overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He was formerly head of the Concerned Veterans for America, a group backed by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, and he unsuccessfully ran for the Senate in Minnesota in 2012. 

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