The Senate narrowly confirmed Pete Hegseth on Friday as secretary of Defense, a win for President Donald Trump’s new administration after its 44-year-old nominee fended offallegations of sexual assault, public drinking and intoxication, and abusive treatment of women.
A former Fox News host and military veteran, Hegseth secured support from all but three Republicans to win confirmation with a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie. Vance, a former Ohio Senator, quipped on X as the vote continued to roll in, “I thought I was done voting in the senate,” with a laugh-cry emoji. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, Susan Collins, of Maine, and Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, the former Republican Senate leader who has previously clashed with Trump, joined all Democrats to vote against him. Hegseth showed up in person for the vote, which is unusual.
Vance did not respond to questions when asked what his message was to McConnell or other Republicans who voted no.
Hegseth will now take charge of the nation’s largest government agency, with 3 million service members and civilians and an $850 billion budget under the Pentagon’s authority.
Hegseth’s confirmation had appeared to be on thin ice after his former sister-in-law – in signed testimony shared with the Senate Armed Services Committee – claimed Hegseth flew into drunken rages, passed out and vomited from drinking, and terrified his ex-wife to the point that she hid from him in a closet. His ex-wife also gave testimony about Hegseth’s drinking to the FBI, which briefed Sens. Roger Wicker and Jack Reed, the committee’s Republican head and top Democratic member.
His nomination was also dogged by an eight-year-old sexual assault allegation against him. Hegseth paid off the accuser, who sought treatment for sexual assault after an alcohol-involved sexual encounter with Hegseth at a conservative convention in a California hotel, to stop her from publicly speaking about the incident.
Reports of Hegseth’s excessive drinking also came up during his nomination process. A veterans’ organization that Hegseth headed fired him due to his drinking, and he was seen drinking or intoxicated on the job at Fox News, according to a New Yorker report published in December.
During Hegseth’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Democrats last week also drilled into the nominee’s past comments opposing women serving in military combat roles.
Although he walked back his position in the weeks leading up to the vote, Democrats pointed to his recent comment on a podcast interview soon before he was nominated: “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles.” Those comments angered women veterans and lawmakers, who warned that removing women from those roles would have dire consequences for the military.
Hegseth’s background, especially his minimal government experience significantly differs from past secretaries of Defense. But his criticism of the military’s leadership – that it has neglected its central mission of warfighting to pander to diversity initiatives and cultural sensitivities – lines up with the attacks on “wokeness” central to Trump’s political approach.
