Pete Hegseth, who has been dogged by allegations of misconduct and scrutinized over his lack of qualifications, has been confirmed as secretary of defense by a 51-50 vote in the Senate, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and former GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky were the sole Republican votes against confirmation.
The Senate Armed Services Committee approved Hegseth’s nomination along party lines on Monday, just hours after President Donald Trump was inaugurated.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran, will assume the helm of one the country’s largest, most complex organizations with little relevant experience. He has pitched himself as an unconventional leader who will shake up the Pentagon and rid it of “woke” policies — a goal he shares with Trump.
But Hegseth’s past came under great scrutiny as he worked to demonstrate his fitness for the job. His past remarks on women in combat roles and his apparent disregard for the rules of combat were widely criticized by Democrats and some military veterans, as were his gripes about the military’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Hegseth has also faced allegations of past sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement. He has repeatedly denied the accusations, calling them a “coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media” to “destroy” him.
Allegations about his behavior during his marriage to his second wife, Samantha Hegseth, also surfaced in recent months. Just days before his confirmation vote, NBC News reported that senators received an unredacted affidavit from his former sister-in-law that contained allegations the Trump transition team had not disclosed as part of his FBI background check, an omission that has raised questions about the vetting process for the former Fox News host. Hegseth dismissed those allegations, and his ex-wife told NBC News that there was “no physical abuse” in the marriage. The slew of allegations against Hegseth initially appeared to give some Republican senators pause, but ultimately he won them over. During his confirmation hearing on Jan. 14, he faced tough questions from Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee, while largely fielding softballs from Republicans. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.
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