Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee for US defence secretary, was confirmed by the Senate late on Friday night, after facing misconduct allegations that nearly derailed his confirmation.
Vice-President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote in Hegseth’s favour, after three Republican senators, including former Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, voted against him.
During Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, he faced multiple questions about an allegation of sexual assault, which he has denied, as well as infidelity and drinking.
The former combat veteran and one-time Fox News television host will oversee a department of some three million employees and a $849bn (£695bn) budget.
Four Republicans would have needed to join the 47 Democratic and independent senators who voted against Hegseth for his nomination to be defeated.
McConnell’s surprise vote left the Senate in a 50-50 deadlock before Vance arrived to cast the tie-breaker.
Explaining his vote, McConnell issued a bruising statement saying Hegseth was unprepared to lead a vast department of three million people while managing a huge budget and co-ordinating with global allies.
The role of defence secretary is “a daily test with staggering consequences for the security of the American people”, McConnell said. “Mr. Hegseth has failed, as yet, to demonstrate that he will pass this test.”
In confirming Hegseth, Vance becomes only the second vice-president in US history to break a tie to confirm a cabinet nominee. Trump’s previous vice-president, Mike Pence, became the first when he cast the deciding vote to confirm Betsy DeVos as education secretary in 2017.
“Warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness. That’s it. That is my job,” Hegseth said during the confirmation hearing earlier this month.
Democratic senators questioned Hegseth, a military veteran, about his qualifications to lead one of the nation’s largest agencies.
Hegseth, 44, a veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, later worked at Fox. He has little of the traditional experience expected for a national security cabinet position – a role typically filled by senior civil servants, experienced politicians, generals and high-level executives.
Hegseth also was asked during the hearing, particularly by female senators, about his previous comments that women should not serve in combat roles. He responded that his concern was not women serving in combat, but in maintaining a certain standard in the US military.
His confirmation process was overshadowed by allegations of misconduct. He was accused of sexually assaulting an unnamed women in 2017 in a Monterey, California, hotel room. He has denied the accusation repeatedly.
The newly confirmed defence secretary also faced allegations of excessive drinking, including at work events, and infidelity in his previous two marriages.
“I am not a perfect person, but redemption is real,” he said during the hearing.
Earlier this week, he was accused of alcohol and spousal abuse in a sworn affidavit given to a congressional committee by his former sister-in-law. Hegseth’s lawyer denied the allegations.
But many Republicans, including Trump, have maintained their support for Hegseth.
For Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who voted against confirmation on Friday, past allegations helped swayed their vote.
In a statement released days before the vote, she said his past behaviour, “demonstrates a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces”.
Meanwhile, Maine Senator Susan Collins, another Republican who voted against Hegseth, said she was “concerned that he does not have the experience and perspective necessary to succeed in the job”.
by BBC NEWS
