Late Friday night, Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote for the Senate to confirm President Donald Trump’s most controversial Cabinet nominee yet.
With Vance’s support, the Republican-controlled Senate voted 51-50, to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Since Trump announced his intention to nominate the former Fox News host to head the Department of Defense, Hegseth has been the center of multiple scandals: disturbing accusations of sexual assault alleged incidents of alcohol abuse, multiple reported infidelities and an email his mother sent him amidst his divorce from second wife Samantha Hegseth in which she called him an “abuser of women.” (RELATED: Fox News Highlights Pete Hegseth’s Rocky Path To Defense Secretary Confirmation)
President Trump stated on Friday that he did not expect Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) to vote against Hegseth. Seven-term Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell also ultimately voted no, requiring Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote.
“I was very surprised that Collins and Murkowski would do that,” Trump said. As of this article’s publication, the White House has not committed on McConnell’s vote.
Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing and his mother walked back the email and offered to meet with Senators on his behalf. Days before Friday’s night vote, a last-minute affidavit from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law accused him of alcohol abuse, which allegedly left his ex-wife fearing for her safety.
Hegseth’s critics also raised concerns over the allegations he is unqualified for the role and his résumé is far thinner than past nominees. Throughout confirmation hearings, Democratic senators repeatedly raised concerns Hegseth is ill-equipped for a job that entails exercising command and control over our all military service branches, overseeing a nearly $900 billion budget and supervising millions of people.
Hegseth was commissioned an infantry officer into the U.S. Army National Guard upon graduation from the ROTC program at Princeton University in 2003. His deployments include Guantanamo Bay, where he served as an infantry platoon leader; Iraq, where he served as an infantry platoon leader in Baghdad and Samarra with the 3rd Brigade of the vaunted 101st Airborne Division; and Afghanistan with the Minnesota Army National Guard as part of a NATO training mission. Hegseth also served in multiple staff positions in state National Guard units.
Hegseth’s military honors include the Army Commendation Medal and Expert Infantryman’s Badge (EIB) for his time in Cuba; the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge (CIB) and a second Army Commendation Medal for his time in Iraq and a second Bronze Star Medal and a Joint Commendation Medal for his time in Afghanistan.
At his Senate confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hegseth was grilled by multiple Democrats regarding the various allegations against him, his past controversial comments and perceived lack of experience.
Some of the questions from his progressive critics fell flat, even among traditional liberal reporters.
A swearing-in ceremony is taking place this morning at the White House with Vice President Vance.
Hegseth plans a “frontal assault” to reform the Department of Defense, which includes removing “woke” generals. He aims to eliminate diversity goals within the military to focus on the “real threat of violence” and to reassert the United States’ position as a global power.
Upon confirmation, Hegseth expressed his commitment to revitalizing the military’s “warrior ethos” and aligning the Department of Defense with President Trump’s vision. He emphasized prioritizing military strength and an “America First” approach.
Friday’s confirmation underscores Trump’s influence within the Republican Party and his administration’s dedication to reshaping the Pentagon’s policies and leadership.
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He will have to do alot of things quickly and vet out those who are still woke after the generals. OUR military needs to get back to where it was before Obama. I The Democrats are really socialist and are bent on destroying this country as a free country- communism has not worked and history shows this .But we have a lot of citizens who do not think that it can happen here. It was on its way but is only temporarily stopped for 4 years. The Democrats will make everything he does or attempts to do tremendously difficult and slow all things down. If Trump can get the economy going WITHOUT DESTROYING FORESTS, WILDLIFE, AND AREAS SET ASIDE FOR SAFEKEEPING, IT WILL BE SUPPORTED.. HE CAN NOT GO AGAINST THE WATER FOR THE NATIVE AMERICANS WITH THE PIPELINE. I do hope someone in the administration has done timelines & priority lists for all the things that he is planning on or they WILL NOT get done. The decrease of the bloated government is tremendous.Trump needs to find things that can be done to Pelosi & Schumer & Schiff & McConnell like the kickbacks from the Ukraine that went into their bank accounts- IS that not illegal? Anyone who voted to defund police should not be able to have them protect them. HE NEEDS TO HAVE SOMETHING PUT IN PLACE THAT CONGRESS CANNOT VOTE THEMSELVES RAISES & THE HEALTHCARE BE THE SAME AS WHAT ALL OF US AS CITIZENS HAVE NOTHING MORE!!! tHEN MAYBE THEY WILL START TO FEEL WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE A REGULAR CITIZEN( i DOUBT THAT WITH THIER SALARIES AVERAGING $179,000) GET RID OF THE UNIONS- THEY ARE ANOTHER THING NO LONGER NEEDED. Make A LAW THAT KEEPS MEN OUT OF WOMEN’s SPORTS THAT INCLUDES TRANS PEOPLE. A law that STOPS DEI, & ONE THAT STATES PARENTAL RIGHTS SUPERSEDE THE SCHOOL AND SCHOOL BOARD OPINIONS UNLESS THE CHILD IS IN IMMINENT DANGER.. Stop the flow of money to Iran..Donot make our money crypto currency- then it will track how ,when, & where we spend our incomes._ BAD FOR EVERYONE BUT THE GOVERNMENT. Get something done to secure Social Security = If Congress had not stolen monies from this account it would be financially sound. Make legislation to prevent Congress from fleecing it. Social security is NOT AND ENTITLEMENT- we paid into it all our working lives and the expectation was that it would be returned in the retirement years. Get the money from the wealth that should be taxed pro-rated.If they have all this money that can be contacted to political causes they can be taxed a lot more. Get voter ID into law. Only citizens can vote into law. Keep trying to stop birthright citizenship.