
Pete Hegseth was confirmed as Secretary of Defense in a dramatic Senate vote Friday night, requiring Vice President JD Vance to cast the deciding vote after a 50-50 deadlock. All Senate Democrats opposed the nomination, and three Republican senators—Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Mitch McConnell (R-KY)—broke ranks to vote against him.
The confirmation process faced significant hurdles, with allegations of misconduct surfacing in the final days. Murkowski cited concerns over Hegseth’s “judgment” and pointed to past accusations involving infidelity and alcohol consumption. Hegseth strongly denied these claims, and his former wife issued statements rejecting allegations of abuse.
🚨BREAKING: President Trump just reacted to Pete Hegseth becoming the next Secretary of Defense:
"I'm honored to have Pete. I think Pete's gonna be a great Secretary of Defense and we're honored to have him."
pic.twitter.com/1FkvwuVTGx— Bo Loudon (@BoLoudon) January 25, 2025
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) was a critical vote in securing Hegseth’s confirmation. Tillis stated he took time to carefully assess Hegseth’s qualifications before ultimately deciding to support him, citing his military background and dedication to strengthening national defense.
Thank you for your confidence Mr. President.
Thank you for the tie-breaker Mr. Vice President.
Thank you Senators for 50 votes.
This is for the troops. For the warriors. For our country.
America First. Every day. We will never back down. 🇺🇸
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 25, 2025
Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host, has vowed to eliminate DEI policies within the Pentagon. His supporters argue his focus on merit-based leadership will realign the military’s priorities toward combat readiness and national security.
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 25, 2025
President Donald Trump celebrated the confirmation on Truth Social, praising Hegseth as the right person to lead the Pentagon. The vote marked a rare moment in history, as vice presidents have seldom been called upon to break ties in Cabinet confirmations.
🚨 WTF? Mitch McConnell immediately walked over and CELEBRATED with the Democrats after voting against Hegseth
This man HAS TO GO in 2026.
The people of Kentucky voted for Trump’s mandate—not this anti-Trump BS. pic.twitter.com/bfFZtayx51
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 25, 2025
Hegseth’s confirmation stands in contrast to the smooth approval of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was confirmed earlier in the week with a unanimous 99-0 vote.
Come primary season, let us all remember that Senators Susan Collins & Lisa Murkowski voted for this, while opposing Pete Hegseth:
pic.twitter.com/UqPUnRybLU— Jillian Anderson (@Jillie_Alexis) January 24, 2025
Pray for Pete Hegseth to serve as our next Secretary of Defense. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/VVH9V9gOMK
— CatholicVote (@CatholicVote) January 14, 2025