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Saturday, January 25, 2025
Pete Hegseth narrowly secures enough Senate votes to become US defense secretary
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WASHINGTON – Pete Hegseth narrowly secures enough votes to become the next US defense secretary, a major victory for President Donald Trump after fierce opposition from Democrats and even some Republicans to his controversial nominee.
Hegseth is confirmed after a 50-50 vote in the Senate, when Vice President JD Vance comes to the chamber to break the tie in his role as president of the Senate, after three Republicans join every Democrat and independent in voting no.
Hegseth, a former Fox News personality and decorated veteran, is the most divisive candidate to clinch the US military’s top job, a position that has historically gone to candidates with deep experience running large organizations and who enjoy broad bipartisan support.
It is only the second time in history a cabinet nominee needed a tie-break to be confirmed. The first was also a Trump nominee, Betsy DeVos, who became secretary of education in 2017.
The three Republican senators who voted against Hegseth are Senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitch McConnell, who was the party’s leader in the chamber until this month.
The Times of Israel Community.