
The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense in a tight vote Friday, with Vice President JD Vance stepping in to break the 50-50 deadlock. Hegseth’s confirmation faced significant resistance, with all Senate Democrats and three Republicans—Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Mitch McConnell (R-KY)—opposing his nomination.
Throughout the confirmation process, Hegseth faced allegations related to past personal behavior, including accusations of infidelity and excessive drinking. Murkowski, a vocal critic, cited these concerns as well as his statements regarding women in combat roles as reasons for her opposition. Hegseth, however, dismissed the allegations, calling them politically motivated.
🚨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), a key vote, ultimately supported Hegseth after reviewing his military record and commitment to modernizing the Pentagon. Tillis stated that he valued Hegseth’s first-hand experience as a combat veteran and his focus on military preparedness.
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
President Donald Trump, reacting to the confirmation, praised Hegseth’s dedication to reforming the Pentagon and restoring a focus on warfighting capability. Trump has prioritized removing DEI initiatives from military policies, a stance Hegseth has vowed to support.
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 25, 2025
Hegseth’s appointment comes amid broader leadership changes at the Pentagon, with the Trump administration making moves to replace senior officials who were aligned with previous policies promoting DEI.
🚨 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
While Hegseth’s confirmation was divisive, Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s approval earlier in the week was unanimous, highlighting the stark contrast in Senate support for Trump’s nominees.
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