The Senate confirmed former Fox News host Pete Hegseth as the nation’s next secretary of defense on Friday after weeks of debate about his slim qualifications and his alleged history of alcohol abuse and domestic abuse.
The vote was 50-50, with GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and a surprise Mitch McConnell of Kentucky standing in opposition. The three Republican no votes forced Vice President JD Vance to cast a tie-breaking decision in Hegseth’s favor.
It’s the first time in U.S. history that a defense secretary was confirmed by a tie vote in the Senate.
Hegseth, a 44-year-old veteran who has vowed to end “woke” military policies, was nominated by then-President-elect Donald Trump in November to the bewilderment of much of the national security community. He is set to begin the job as the least experienced defense secretary in modern history.
Republicans defended the pick, saying that an unconventional leader with experience outside government is needed to shake up the department and “restore American strength” abroad. Those who initially expressed concerns were quickly met with threats of primaries by Trump’s allies.
McConnell’s no vote came as a slight surprise after he voted to advance Hegseth’s nomination earlier this week. In a statement shortly after his vote, McConnell pointed to Hegseth’s lack of experience for the role that oversees 3 million people employed by the armed forces and manages a nearly $1 trillion budget.
“Mere desire to be a ‘change agent’ is not enough to fill these shoes,” McConnell said in the statement, which made no mention of the abuse allegations against Hegseth.
During his confirmation hearing, Democrats grilled Hegseth about his resume, his past vocal opposition to women serving in combat roles, accusations of financial mismanagement at veterans organizations he led, and the allegations of domestic and alcohol abuse leveled against him. Hegseth disclosed on Thursday that he paid $50,000 to the woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, an incident he has denied.
Earlier this week, senators also reviewed a sworn affidavit containing more allegations against Hegseth, including that his second ex-wife feared for her safety during their marriage, and that he regularly abused alcohol to the point of passing out at family gatherings. Both Hegseth and his second wife denied there was physical abuse in their marriage.
Although most Republicans dismissed the allegations, Murkowski said Hegseth’s history and excessive behaviors he has admitted to “demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces.” Collins, meanwhile, said she had concerns about Hegseth’s ability to run a government agency with 3 million employees and a budget of nearly $850 billion.
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) practically begged Republicans to pick someone else for the job, suggesting that many Republican senators would be more appropriate than Hegseth.
“Is this man, with a known history of excessive drinking, the guy you want on the other end of the phone at 2 a.m. in a crisis, in control of the nuclear codes?” Schumer asked. “Who are we kidding?