The United States Senate has confirmed the nomination of Pete Hegseth as the US Secretary of Defense.
Hegseth nomination has been surrounded by controversies.
The Senate narrowly voted to confirm embattled Pete Hegseth as secretary of the Department of Defense, in a major win for President Donald Trump and his new administration.
Vice President JD Vance cast the 51-50 tie-breaking vote after former GOP Leader Mitch McConnell and GOP Sens.
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine joined Democrats to oppose Hegseth’s nomination.
It was just the second time in history that a vice president has broken a tie for a Cabinet nominee – the other being then-Vice President Mike Pence for Betsy DeVos’ 2017 confirmation to lead the Education Department.
Despite allegations of sexual assault, marital infidelity, and public drunkenness, Hegseth has denied all claims, calling them “false” and stating that he has been “redeemed by his lord and savior”
.Hegseth’s nomination was announced by President-elect Donald Trump in November 2024, and he has been a strong supporter of Trump’s policies.
However, his own past has raised concerns, including a 2017 sexual assault allegation and reports of public drunkenness, including an incident where he was too hungover to appear on Fox News.
Several senators have expressed concerns about Hegseth’s nomination, with Republican Senator Kevin Cramer stating that the allegations are a “pretty big problem” and Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth calling Hegseth’s nomination “an insult”
.Despite these controversies, Hegseth has received support from some Republicans, including Senator Joni Ernst, who initially expressed skepticism but later stated that she would support his nomination .
Hegseth’s confirmation hearing took place on January 14, 2025, where he faced questioning about the allegations against him. His confirmation is still pending.
