Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth narrowly confirmed as Defense Secretary
Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth was confirmed as Defense Secretary on Friday night in a close vote in the U.S. Senate, securing a victory for President Donald Trump despite controversies surrounding Hegseth’s conduct and qualifications for the role.
The confirmation of Hegseth was only achieved after Vice President J.D. Vance broke a tie vote, with three Senate Republicans voting against him. Hegseth has faced allegations of sexual assault and a history of alcohol abuse. Earlier in the week, doubts were raised about his candidacy when another individual came forward with accusations of abuse towards his former wife.
Hegseth previously co-hosted Fox News’ “Fox & Friends Weekend” daytime show until late last year, when he stepped down after being nominated by Trump to lead the nation’s military. While he has served in the National Guard and been deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq, many military professionals have criticized him as shockingly unqualified to oversee the Pentagon.
Notably, Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and former Senate Majority Leader, along with GOP senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, voted against Hegseth’s appointment.
The vote, which concluded around 10 p.m. ET, marked only the second instance in U.S. history where a Vice President had to break a tie to secure approval for a Cabinet nominee. The first occurred when Vice President Mike Pence intervened to confirm Betsy DeVos as head of the Education Department in 2017.
Earlier on Friday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Hegseth, labeling him as “one of the most erratic, unqualified, and unfit Cabinet nominees we have ever seen in modern times.” Schumer warned that Hegseth’s confirmation would jeopardize the credibility of the Republican majority, as reported by CNN.
As Hegseth assumes his new role as Defense Secretary, the controversies surrounding his appointment continue to raise concerns among lawmakers and military experts.
