Jan. 24 (UPI) — Pete Hegseth was confirmed as defense secretary late Friday by the U.S. Senate after Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie as Senate president.
All Democratic senators voted against Hegseth, a 44, a former Fox News host, due to fitness and character issues. Also voting “no” were three Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the former majority leader.
President Donald Trump, flying from California to Las Vegas, posted on Truth Social quickly after the vote: “Congratulations to Pete Hegseth. He will make a great Secretary of Defense!”
On Saturday morning, Vance swor him in.
In thanking Trump, Hegseth said the U.S. “could not have a better commander-in-chief.”
He said the nation would project “peace through strength” under his leadership at the Pentagon.
It was only the second time in history that a vice president broke a tie for a Cabinet nominee. In 2017, Mike Pence approved Betsy DeVos to head the education department.
Vance had served as a senator from Ohio until he was sworn in as president Monday.
“I thought I was done voting in the senate,” Vance posted on X before he cast his vote, making it 51-50.
The vote began at 9 p.m. and he was confirmed at 9:50 p.m.
The Armed Services Committee vote sent the nomination to the full Senate, 14-13.
The vote was 51-49 in a procedure vote Thursday for Hegseth.
McConnel had voted “yes” in that vote.
“The most consequential cabinet official in any Administration is the Secretary of Defense. In the face of the gravest threats to U.S. national security interests since World War II, this position is even more important today,” McConnell said in a statement.
“Mr. Hegseth has failed, as yet, to demonstrate that he will pass this test. But as he assumes office, the consequences of failure are as high as they have ever been. The United States faces coordinated aggression from adversaries bent on shattering the order underpinning American security and prosperity. In public comments and testimony before the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Hegseth did not reckon with this reality.”
He concluded his statement wishing Hegseth “great success” and he looks “forward to working closely with him to restore American hard power.”
“Every member of the uniformed services will be looking to him for decisive, principled, and nonpartisan leadership,” he said.
Debate on the nomination occurred after a sworn affidavit from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law.
In that affidavit, according to CBS News, Danielle Hegseth said Hegseth allegedly abused alcohol for many years and caused his second wife to be afraid for her physical safety.
Hegseth’s attorney denied it.
The affadavit included allegations from his former sister-in-law that he behaved abusively, was prone to aggressive outbursts and racist remarks.
“As I told the FBI, I believe Hegseth has an alcohol abuse problem and was abusive to his ex-wife Samantha,” Danielle Hegseth said in the affidavit.
She added that she personally observed “Hegseth’s erratic and aggressive behavior over many years.”
In floor remarks Friday, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York called Hegseth “one of the most erratic, unqualified and unfit cabinet nominees we have ever seen in modern times.”
According to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Hegseth told her he paid $50,000 in 2017 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017. Hegseth’s lawyer told CBS News it was a confidential financial settlement he paid for fear he could be fired from Fox News as a result of the allegation.
The allegations ddn’t persuaded most Senate Republicans, who remained supportive of Hegseth’s nomination.
Murkowski and Collins voted no in the procedure vote.
Tom Tillis of North Carolina, who is up for reelection in 2026, voted to confirm Hegseth after remaining non-committal. Hegseth sent a detailed letter to Tillis denying allegations from the recent affidavit from the former sister-in-law. Hegseth posted the letter on social media Friday.
Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who served in the military, originally had expressed uneasiness of Hegseth but voted to confirm him. She is up for reelection in 2026.
Senate Armed Services Chair Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., strongly supports Hegseth.
In a statement about her opposition to Hegseth’s nomination Murkowski said Hegseth’s behaviors are in stark contrast to “values and discipline expected of servicemembers.”
She said men and women in uniform deserve leaders who uphold the same standards.
Marco Rubio, a senator from Florida, was the first approved cabinet pick, for secretary of state on Monday, the day Donald Trump was inaugurated as president. John Ratcliffe, who formerly served as director of National Intelligence in Trump’s first term, was confirmed Thursday.
Hegseth, who graduated from Princeton University, served as an infantry officer with the Army Nationals Guard from 2003 to 2014 and 2019 to 2021m includign tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2014, he was a political commentator for Fox News and was a weekend co-host of Fox & Friends from 2017 to
He also was the executive director of Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America.
Hegseth, born in Minneapolis, will be the second-young defense secretary behind Donald Rumsfeld, in 2001, at 43, under President Gerald R. Ford. He became the oldest from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush, leaving office at 74.