Pete Hegseth He cleared a procedural hurdle Thursday before a final Senate vote to move forward with his confirmation to lead the Defense Department, setting up a high-stakes showdown.
A motion to call cloture, or initiate up to 30 hours of debate, passed by 51 votes to 49. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted no to boost Hegseth's confirmation, and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voted yes.
Hegseth's candidacy hit another hurdle this week when reports surfaced that his ex-wife's sister alleged Hegseth abused his second wife.
Two sources told CNN that Hegseth's ex-wife, Samantha Hegseth, provided a statement to the FBI about Hegseth's alleged alcohol use. A source said Samantha Hegseth told the FBI: “He drinks more than he doesn’t,” the outlet said.
On Tuesday, Fox News obtained an affidavit from Danielle Hegseth, the sister of Hegseth's ex-wife, alleging that he had an alcohol abuse problem and at times made his ex-wife, Samantha, fear for her safety. Danielle Hegseth was previously married to Pete Hegseth's brother and has no relationship with Samantha.
But Danielle Hegseth added that she never witnessed any physical or sexual abuse by Pete against Samantha.
Samantha Hegseth also denied any physical abuse in a statement to NBC News.
Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker He said in a statement Wednesday night that reports “related to a classified briefing on the FBI investigation into Pete Hegseth's background that I received last week are grossly inaccurate and factually inaccurate” and that he stands by Hegseth's nomination.
Pete Hegseth has cleared a procedural hurdle to his confirmation to lead the Department of Defense to a final vote in the Senate. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
“It is disturbing that a long-standing, sensitive process used by committee leadership to vet presidential personnel is being sued in the press by anonymous sources with ulterior motives,” Wicker said, adding that the FBI briefed him three times on the background check. To Hegseth.
The new report follows a series of reports that damaged Hegseth's character, including a sexual assault allegation which he denies and reports of his alleged penchant for drinking and financial mismanagement. Hegseth said he would abstain from drinking alcohol if confirmed.
Hegseth is expected to face one of the toughest confirmation battles of any Trump presidential nominee. His confirmation hearing It was heavy on questions of character and questioning about his opposition to female norms in combat and light on inquiries about policy.
Hegseth's lawyer criticizes the “flawed and questionable statement” from his ex-sister-in-law
Earlier Thursday, Senator Minority Leader Chuck SchumerHe urged Republicans to join him in opposing the former Fox News host and Army National Guardsman.
“Hegseth is completely unqualified, and he ranks up there (as) one of the worst candidates that could be put forward,” Schumer said.
Hegseth's candidacy hit another hurdle this week when reports emerged that his ex-wife's sister publicly claimed he abused his second wife. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
“People's lives depend on it – civilians, and of course the men and women in the armed forces – and Pete Hegseth has demonstrated that not only is he incapable of running a large organisation, he often shows himself incapable of showing up or being seen in a large organisation.” It's a way for him to get anything done, he's outside the mainstream and completely unqualified for the Department of Defense, and I hope we get our Republican colleagues to join us.
Hegseth, who has been married three times, admitted he was a “serial cheater” before becoming a Christian and marrying his current wife, Jenny.
The 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran, He, who has toured in Iraq and Afghanistan, is relatively young and inexperienced, compared to defense ministers of the past, who retire with the rank of major. But Republicans say they don't want someone who has reached the top brass and become entrenched in the Pentagon establishment.
Hegseth has made it clear that he will work to combat “woke” programs at the Pentagon that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). He initially said he was opposed to women in combat, before later clarifying that he was only opposed to standards for women in combat being different from those of men.
Pete Hegseth with his Afghan translator, Sabor Sakhizada (Fox News)
“I'm saying straight up that we shouldn't have women in combat roles,” Hegseth said on the “Sean Ryan Show” podcast. “It didn't make us more effective, it didn't make us more lethal, and it made combat more complex.”
In 2019, he successfully lobbied Trump to pardon three service members convicted or accused of crimes. War crimes in Afghanistan And Iraq.
Trump may have been looking to spare himself the headache that this role caused him during his first administration. Only Jim Mattis and Mark Esper lasted more than a year. Three others served in acting positions. Hegseth is likely to support Trump's goals for the department.
Fox News' Stephen Sorace, Julia Johnson and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
