Vice President Vance on Friday broke a Senate tie to verify Pete Hegseth as President Trump’s secretary of Protection, capping a bruising two-month battle over the nominee, who confronted a litany of allegations that included sexual misconduct, monetary mismanagement and extreme consuming.
GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Susan Collins (Maine) and Mitch McConnell (Ky.) voted “no,” forcing Vance to step in and break the 50-50 tie. Murkowski and Collins had telegraphed their votes, however McConnell’s emerged as a shock.
It’s believed to be solely the second time in historical past a vice chairman has needed to step in to interrupt a tie on a nominee. Former Vice President Mike Pence broke a tie to verify Betsy DeVos as secretary of Training in 2017.
Hegseth, a former infantry officer within the Military Nationwide Guard who was awarded two Bronze Stars and later turned a number at Fox Information, is ready to turn into the second-youngest secretary of Protection in historical past.
He’s anticipated to aggressively pursue Trump’s agenda for the Pentagon, which incorporates eradication of DEI applications and an workplace established by former President Biden to guard civilians in struggle zones.
He beforehand said his opposition to girls serving in fight roles, however he assured senators throughout his affirmation course of that he would assist preserving girls’s entry to fight roles in the event that they meet the requirements for bodily demanding jobs.
The Senate vote got here on the finish of a day of drama throughout which Democrats dragged out the ground debate so long as potential, refusing efforts by Republicans to maneuver up the timing of the vote.
And rumors swirled by means of the Capitol Friday afternoon that Hegseth’s nomination could be torpedoed on the final minute by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and McConnell, despite the fact that they each voted to advance him on Thursday.
Tillis signaled to colleagues that he might change his thoughts to oppose Hegseth if he discovered compelling proof corroborating the allegations of drunkenness on the job, fiscal mismanagement or different misconduct.
Ultimately, Tillis voted for the nominee whereas McConnell opposed him.
Collins and Murkowski, in the meantime, had pledged to vote “no,” elevating questions on Hegseth’s expertise, {qualifications} and judgment.
Collins stated she worries that Hegseth “does not have the management experience and background” wanted to sort out the Protection Division’s challenges whereas Murkowski raised issues about his “judgment,” citing the “multiple” infidelities he admitted to, together with a sexual encounter with a lady who later accused him of assault.
Hegseth paid his accuser $50,000 as a part of a authorized settlement, however vigorously denied the assault allegation and claimed that he was the sufferer of a “smear” marketing campaign.
One other high-profile Republican girl and navy veteran, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), helped save his nomination by saying final week that she would vote for him.
Ernst accused Democrats of enjoying politics by attempting to pull him down with a mixture of allegations spanning greater than a decade.
She stated colleagues tried to “score political points” at his listening to however “failed.”
Hegseth gained Ernst’s backing after pledging to assist girls in fight and navy procurement reform.
“Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles … given the standards remain high,” he advised Ernst at his affirmation listening to.
Senate Armed Service Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) praised Hegseth on the Senate flooring as a “good choice” who can be “open to new ideas” and “not beholden to the status quo.”
Wicker’s unwavering assist for the nominee was an enormous purpose why he made it although the powerful affirmation course of.
The Mississippi Republican helped clean the trail by limiting senators to at least one spherical of questions at his affirmation listening to and declining Democratic requests to share his FBI background investigation extensively amongst colleagues.
Hegseth’s nomination united Democrats in robust opposition, giving them one thing to rally towards after their gorgeous defeats in November’s election.
Senate Democratic Chief Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) blasted Hegseth on the Senate flooring as “one of the most erratic, unqualified and unfit Cabinet nominees we have ever seen in modern times.”
He warned Republican colleagues to think twice about Hegseth’s skinny résumé and historical past of questionable conduct earlier than putting him accountable for the nation’s navy.
“When you’re the one responsible for leading our armed forces, erratic behavior isn’t just a character flaw — it could mean the difference between entering or avoiding military conflict, between life and death for our troops,” he warned.
Hegseth’s path to affirmation was rattled earlier this week when Democrats revealed they’d obtained a sworn affidavit by his former sister-in-law accusing him of being bodily intimidating and often drunk, even whereas in navy uniform.
The previous relative stated that Hegseth’s second spouse advised her that she as soon as hid in her closet as a result of she feared her husband.
However the harm of the assertion was blunted by his second spouse, Samantha Hegseth, who advised NBC Information “there was no physical abuse in my marriage.”
Democrats criticized Hegseth for refusing to fulfill with any of them apart from Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the rating member on the Armed Companies panel.
Democrats stated Hegseth failed to elucidate how he would cut back prices and growth occasions for vital navy capabilities or spend money on the protection industrial base, a precedence
“Let’s be perfectly clear about the stakes here—we are talking about who we will put in command of the most powerful military in the world. There is nothing on Mr. Hegseth’s resume that remotely suggests he has the experience for the role,” stated Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the senior Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, which funds the Pentagon’s funds.
Trump defended Hegseth as a “good man” earlier within the day however expressed some uncertainty in regards to the consequence of the vote.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. You never know with those things. But Pete’s a very, very good man. I hope he makes it,” Trump advised reporters on the White Home garden.
He stated he was “surprised” that Collins and Murkowski voted Thursday towards advancing Hegseth to a ultimate vote, despite the fact that Senate Republicans had lengthy thought they’d possible oppose him.
Trump, nonetheless, had appeared open to dropping Hegseth as his nominee in early December when he floated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) as a potential Plan B to go the Pentagon.
Hegseth appeared to be in deep trouble after media shops reported {that a} girl accused him in a police report of sexual assault at a Republican convention in Monterrey, California, in 2017.
That allegation was adopted by experiences of fiscal mismanagement and unprofessional conduct on the two advocacy teams he led, Veterans for Freedom and Involved Veterans for America.
Hegseth admitted he was “not a perfect person” at his affirmation listening to and pledge to Republican senators that he would cease consuming if confirmed to function secretary of Protection.
