WASHINGTON —  The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as the nation’s Defense secretary Friday in a dramatic late-night vote, despite questions about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid allegations of heavy drinking, sexual assault and other aggressive behavior toward women.

Rarely has a Cabinet nominee faced such wide-ranging concerns about his experience and behavior and still won confirmation, particularly for such a high-profile role. But the Republican-led Senate was determined to confirm Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran who has vowed to bring a “warrior culture” to the Pentagon, rounding out President Trump’s picks for his top national security Cabinet posts.

Vice President JD Vance was on hand to cast a tiebreaking vote, unusual in the Senate for Cabinet nominees, who typically win wider support. Hegseth was at the Capitol with his family.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Hegseth, as a veteran of the Army National Guard who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, “will bring a warrior’s perspective” to the top military job.

“Gone will be the days of woke distractions,” Thune said, referring to the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives being eliminated across the federal government under Trump. “The Pentagon’s focus will be on war fighting.”

The Senate’s ability to confirm Hegseth despite serious 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 considering other Cabinet nominees, including Kash Patel, a Trump ally who has published an enemies list, as FBI director; former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as director of the office of national intelligence; and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine advocate, at the Department of Health and Human Services.

“Is Pete Hegseth truly the best we have to offer?” asked Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, urging his colleagues to think seriously about their vote.

Hegseth was working the phones late Friday to shore up his support.

“He’s a good man,” Trump said of Hegseth while departing the White House to visit disaster-hit North Carolina and Los Angeles. “I hope he makes it.”

Trump leveled criticism of Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, who announced they would vote against Hegseth. And the president raised questions about Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), until recently the longtime GOP leader in the Senate, who also voted against Hegseth.

“And of course Mitch is always a no vote, I guess,” Trump said. “Is Mitch a no vote?”

Tensions soared late Friday at the Capitol as the Senate, where the GOP holds a 53-47 majority, debated the nomination.

McConnell 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.”

It takes a simple majority to confirm Hegseth, and Republicans could not lose any more than three votes.

One Republican, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, sent the Senate swirling as he raised questions and was provided information and answers, said a person familiar with the situation Thursday and granted anonymity to discuss it.

But Tillis ultimately voted to confirm Hegseth, who he said “has a unique perspective” and is passionate about modernizing the military. He said he spoke to Hegseth for “nearly two hours” about his concerns.

Democrats have helped confirm Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe in bipartisan votes to Trump’s national security team within days of his return to the White House.

But Democrats, many who voiced strong opposition to Hegseth, had little power to stop his nomination, and instead have resorted to dragging out the process.

Hours before the vote, Democrat after Democrat took to the Senate floor to object.

Sen. Christopher S. Murphy (D-Conn.) said during the debate that there are few Trump nominees as “dangerously and woefully unqualified as Hegseth.”

Hegseth faces allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman at a Republican conference in California. He has denied the claims and said the encounter was consensual. He later paid $50,000 to the woman.

More recently, Hegseth’s former sister-in-law said in an affidavit that he was abusive to his second wife to the point she feared for her safety. Hegseth has denied the allegation, and in divorce proceedings, neither he nor his former wife claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse.

During a heated confirmation hearing, Hegseth dismissed the allegations of wrongdoing and vowed to bring a “warrior culture” to the top Pentagon post.

Hegseth has promised not to drink on the job.

A Princeton and Harvard graduate, Hegseth represents a newer generation of veterans who came of age in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He went on to a career at Fox News as the host of a weekend show, and was unknown to many on Capitol Hill until Trump tapped him for the top Defense job.

Hegseth’s comments that women should have no role in military combat drew particular concern on Capitol Hill, including from lawmakers who served. He has since tried to temper views as he met with senators during the confirmation process.

Murkowski said in a lengthy statement ahead of a test vote on Hegseth that his behaviors “starkly contrast” with what is expected of the military.

“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.

Collins said that after a lengthy discussion with Hegseth, “I am not convinced that his position on women serving in combat roles has changed.”

But one prominent Republican, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a veteran and sexual assault survivor, came under harsh criticism for her skepticism toward Hegseth and eventually announced she would back him.

Hegseth will lead an organization with nearly 2.1 million service members, about 780,000 civilians and a budget of $850 billion.

In exercising its advice and consent role over Trump’s nominees, the Senate is also trying to stave off the president’s suggestion that the GOP leaders simply do away with the confirmation process and allow him to appoint his Cabinet choices when the Congress is on recess.

Trump raised the idea of so-called recess appointments during a private White House meeting with Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), a step many senators are trying to avoid.

Mascaro, Jalonick and Amiri write for the Associated Press. AP writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report.