Pete Hegseth narrowly gathered enough votes to become the upcoming US Defence Secretary, marking a significant victory for President Donald Trump following strong opposition from Democrats and some Republicans regarding his contentious nomination.
Mr. Hegseth was confirmed after a 50-50 vote in the Senate, with Vice President JD Vance stepping in to cast the tie-breaking vote as President of the Senate, after three Republicans sided with every Democrat and independent in voting against him.
As a former Fox News personality and decorated veteran, Mr. Hegseth has pledged to implement substantial changes at the Pentagon.
However, his leadership will be closely monitored after a challenging confirmation review that raised critical concerns about his qualifications, temperament, and perspectives on women in combat.
Mr. Hegseth is the most polarizing candidate to secure the top military position in the US, a role traditionally held by individuals with extensive experience in managing large organizations and who possess wide bipartisan backing.
This marks only the second occasion in history that a cabinet nominee required a tie-breaker for confirmation; the first instance involved another Trump nominee, Betsy DeVos, who became Secretary of Education in 2017.
The three Republican senators who opposed Mr. Hegseth include Senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Mitch McConnell, who led the party in the chamber until this month.
Mr. McConnell stated that Mr. Hegseth had not shown the capacity to effectively manage such a vast and intricate organization as the military.
“A mere desire to be a ‘change agent’ is insufficient to fill this role,” Mr. McConnell remarked in a statement.
The top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, declared he would monitor Mr. Hegseth “like a hawk” and insist on accountability.
With leadership over 1.3 million active-duty service members and nearly 1 million civilians employed by the US military, which operates on an annual budget close to $1 trillion, Mr. Hegseth has significant responsibilities ahead.
He informed lawmakers that until now, the largest team he had managed was 100 individuals, with a budget ceiling of $16 million.
His nomination faced a series of serious allegations, including one this week from his former sister-in-law, who claimed he abused his second wife to the point where she had to hide in a wardrobe and had a code word for friends to signal when she needed help.
Mr. Hegseth has vehemently denied the accusations, and his wife previously refuted any claims of physical abuse.
President Trump, whose nominees for the FBI and intelligence chief are also undergoing Senate scrutiny, staunchly supported his choice and exerted considerable pressure on fellow Republicans to endorse the 44-year-old television figure.
Professor Suri noted that the vote showcased the extent of Mr. Trump’s influence at the beginning of his second term.
“It certainly indicates that Trump holds significant leverage over the Republican Party and Senate members,” he stated.
Prior to the vote, Mr. Trump criticized Senators Murkowski and Collins, both of whom voted against Mr. Hegseth in a procedural test vote on Thursday.
“I was quite surprised by the actions of Collins and Murkowski,” Mr. Trump told reporters.
However, most Senate Republicans aligned to defend the nominee, arguing he would reinstate a “warrior” mentality throughout the US military.
Mr. Hegseth has voiced opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the military and, in his recent book, questioned whether the primary US general held the position due to his race.
For years, he also opposed women in combat roles but softened his stance while seeking support for his confirmation, including from military veterans like Republican Senator Joni Ernst.
Senator Ernst was among the 14 Republicans on the Armed Services Committee who endorsed Mr. Hegseth when the committee approved him by a narrow 14 to 13 vote, with every Democrat against his nomination.
A few incidents have raised red flags about Mr. Hegseth, including a 2017 sexual assault allegation that did not lead to charges, which Mr. Hegseth denies.
He has also been accused of heavy drinking and mishandling finances at veterans’ organizations. He has pledged to abstain from alcohol if confirmed and acknowledged making financial mistakes but denied any wrongdoing.
He assumes his position as the Trump administration emphasizes that border security and immigration will be a priority for the US military.
Recently, US military C-17 aircraft have begun transporting detained migrants out of the country, following orders from Mr. Trump, marking the military’s first involvement in deportations in recent memory.
The Pentagon has revealed plans to dispatch 1,500 active-duty troops to the border in response to Mr. Trump’s orders, a number that appears set to increase swiftly.
Little is known about Mr. Hegseth’s stance on crucial foreign policy issues, such as providing arms to Ukraine, preparing the military for potential conflict with China, and whether he would consider scaling back the US military presence in regions like Syria and Iraq.
