WASHINGTON—The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as the nation’s defense secretary on Friday in a dramatic late-night vote about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid allegations of heavy drinking and aggressive behavior toward women. I answered the questions.
Rarely has a Cabinet nominee faced such widespread concerns about his experience and behavior, especially for such a high-profile role over the US military. But the Republican-led Senate was determined to confirm Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran who has brought a “warrior culture” to the Pentagon, rounding out President Donald Trump’s top national security Cabinet officials. Sworn to.
Vice President J.D. Vance was on hand to cast a tie-breaking vote, unusual in the Senate for Cabinet nominees, who typically win broad support. Hegseth himself was in the Capitol with his family.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Hegseth, as an Army National Guard veteran who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, would “bring a warrior’s perspective” to the top military job.
“There will be days of woke distraction,” Thune said, referring to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the federal government. “Pentagon’s focus will be on war fighting.”
The Senate’s ability to confirm Hegseth despite a serious array of allegations against him would demonstrate Trump’s political power and ability to get what he wants from the GOP-led Congress and the power of the culture wars. white House.
Next week senators will face Trump’s other outside Cabinet choices, notably Kash Patel, a Trump ally who has published enemies lists as FBI director; Tulsi Gabbard as Director of the Office of National Intelligence; and Robert F. Kennedy, JR, anti-vaccine advocate at Health and Human Services.
“Is Pete Hegseth really the best we have to offer?”. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, urging his colleagues to think seriously about their vote.
Hegseth himself was working the phones late Friday night to get support, his confirmation at stake.
“He’s a good man,” Trump said of Hegseth as he departed the White House to tour disaster-hit North Carolina and Los Angeles. “I hope he makes it.”
Trump criticized Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who announced they would vote against Hegseth. And Trump raised new questions about Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., “And certainly Mitch is not always a vote, I think. Is Mitch not a vote?”
All three ultimately voted against Hegseth as tensions rose at the Capitol late Friday night.
McConnell, the former Senate GOP leader, has not announced his vote, but hinted at skepticism in an earlier speech when he announced he would confirm nominees for senior national security roles “whose records and experience would make them immediate assets, Not liabilities.” He voted.
It takes a simple majority to confirm Hegseth, and Republicans, with a 53-47 majority in the Senate, can only lose one more objection.
Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, sent the Senate to fire as he raised questions and was provided information and answers, a person familiar with the situation said Thursday and spoke on anonymity to discuss it. Gave.
But Tillis ultimately voted to confirm Hegseth, who he said “has a unique perspective” and is passionate about modernizing the Army. He said he spoke to Hegseth for “about two hours” about his concerns.
Democrats, as the minority party, helped confirm Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe in bipartisan votes to Trump’s national security team within days of returning to the White House.
But Democrats have little power to stop Hegseth in their opposition, and have instead resorted to dragging out the process.
Hours before the vote, Democrat after Democrat raised objections on the Senate floor.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said during the debate that there are few Trump nominees who are “dangerous and as blatantly unqualified as Hegseth.”
Hegseth faced allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman at a Republican convention in California, although he has denied the claims and said the encounter was consensual. He later paid the woman $50,000.
Recently, Hegseth’s former sister-in-law said in an affidavit that he was abusive to his second wife to the point that she feared for her safety. Hegseth has denied the allegation, and in the divorce proceedings, neither Hegseth nor the woman claimed to be victims of domestic abuse.
During a fiery confirmation hearing, Hegseth dismissed allegations of wrongdoing one by one, and vowed to bring a “warrior culture” to the top Pentagon post.
Hegseth promised not to drink on the job if confirmed.
But Republican senators have faced an intense pressure campaign to support Hegseth by Trump’s allies, who have stood by his nomination, echoing his claims of a “smear” campaign against him.
A Princeton and Harvard graduate, Hegseth represented a new generation of veterans coming of age in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. He went on to a career as a weekend show host at Fox News, 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 have been of particular concern on Capitol Hill, including among serving lawmakers. He has tempered those views since he met with senators during the confirmation process.
Murkowski said in a lengthy statement ahead of a trial vote on Hegseth that his behavior was “very at odds” with what is expected from the military.
“I am concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends women currently serving and those who aspire to join,” Murkowski wrote on social media.
Collins said that after a lengthy discussion with Hegseth, “I’m not sure his position on women serving in combat roles has changed.”
But a prominent Republican, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, herself a veteran and survivor of sexual assault, drew harsh criticism for her skepticism toward Hegseth and ultimately announced she would back him.
Hegseth will lead an organization with approximately 2.1 million service members, approximately 780,000 civilians and a budget of $850 billion.
In exercising its advise-and-consent role on Trump’s nominees, the Senate is also trying to dispel his suggestion that GOP leaders simply do away with the confirmation process altogether, and vote on them while Congress is in recess. Allow you to appoint your cabinet choices.
Trump raised the idea of so-called “recess appointments” during a private White House meeting with Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, a move many senators are trying to avoid.