The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's nominee for US Defense Secretary, late Friday night, after he faced misconduct allegations that nearly derailed his confirmation.
Vice President J.D. Vance cast the tie-breaking vote for Hegseth, after three Republican senators, including former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, voted against him.
During Hegseth's confirmation hearing, he faced multiple questions about… Allegation of sexual assaultThis is what he denied, as well as disbelief and drinking alcohol.
The former war veteran and one-time Fox News TV presenter will oversee a department with about three million employees and a budget of $849 billion (£695 billion).
It was necessary for four Republicans to join the 47 Democratic senators and independents who voted against Hegseth in order to defeat his nomination.
McConnell's surprise vote left the Senate deadlocked 50-50 before Vance arrived to cast the tiebreaker.
Vance is the second vice president in US history to break a tie to confirm a Cabinet nominee. Trump's former vice president, Mike Pence, became the first to break a tie to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education in 2017.
“Combat, lethality, merit, standards, readiness. That's it. That's my job,” Hegseth said during his confirmation hearing earlier this month.
Democratic senators questioned Hegseth, a military veteran, about his qualifications to lead one of the nation's largest agencies.
Hegseth, 44, is a veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq who later worked at Fox. He has little of the traditional experience expected for a national security cabinet position, a role typically held by senior civil servants, experienced politicians, generals and high-level executives.
Hegseth was also asked during the hearing, particularly by senators, about his past comments that women should not serve in combat roles. He answered that his interest was not related to women serving in combat, but rather to maintaining a certain level in the US Army.
His confirmation process has been overshadowed by allegations of misconduct. He was accused of sexually assaulting an unnamed woman in 2017 in a hotel room in Monterey, California. He has repeatedly denied this accusation.
The newly appointed Defense Minister has also faced allegations of heavy drinking, including at work events, and infidelity in his two previous marriages.
“I'm not a perfect person, but redemption is real,” he said during the hearing.
Earlier this week, he was accused of alcohol abuse and spousal abuse in an affidavit submitted to a congressional committee by his ex-sister-in-law. Hegseth's lawyer denied the allegations.
But many Republicans, including Trump, have maintained their support for Hegseth.
For Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who voted against confirmation on Friday, the previous allegations helped sway their vote.
In a statement issued days before the vote, she said his past behavior “demonstrates a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who leads our armed forces.”
Meanwhile, Maine Sen. Susan Collins, another Republican who voted against Hegseth, said she was “concerned that he does not have the experience and perspective needed to succeed in the job.”
