Senate Confirms Hegseth for Defense Secretary After Vance Casts Tie-Breaker

The Epoch Times Header

The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as the new secretary of defense in a late-night session on Jan. 24 that came down to a tie-breaking decision from Vice President JD Vance after Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voted no.

President Donald Trump’s nominee initially deadlocked in a 50-50 vote, capping off a contentious confirmation process in which Hegseth faced questions about his views on women serving in combat, as well as allegations of alcoholism, sexual assault, and financial mismanagement at two veteran nonprofit organizations.

The vice president is the president of the Senate and has the sole power to cast a tie-breaking vote when necessary.

It was only the second such tie-breaking vote in the history of cabinet secretary confirmations, after Betsy DeVos’s confirmation for secretary of education at the start of the first Trump administration in 2017.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) broke ranks with their fellow Republicans to oppose Hegseth’s confirmation. They had signaled their opposition ahead of the hearing late on Jan. 24.

McConnell issued a statement after his vote explaining why he opposed the nomination.

“The most consequential cabinet official in any Administration is the Secretary of Defense. In the face of the gravest threats to U.S. national security interests since World War II, this position is even more important today,” the Kentucky Republican wrote.

McConnell said the United States faces threats from multiple adversaries, including Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.

“In public comments and testimony before the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Hegseth did not reckon with this reality,” he wrote.

Trump celebrated Hegseth’s confirmation, telling reporters in Los Angeles, “We’re very happy about that, we appreciate everyone’s vote.”

When asked for a reaction to McConnell’s no vote, Trump replied that he didn’t know about the development.

“I just heard that we won. Winning is what matters, right?” he said.

In the minutes before the vote, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) urged his colleagues to vote against the nomination, while Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) made the opposite case, noting that Hegseth had grappled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Hegseth, 44, served in the National Guard from 2002 to 2021. He served as an infantry officer and saw combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan before retiring from service at the rank of major.

Throughout the confirmation process, Hegseth has said his focus will be on expanding the warrior ethos of the U.S. military.

“[Trump], like me, wants a Pentagon laser-focused on lethality, meritocracy, warfighting, accountability, and readiness,” Hegseth said in his opening remarks at his Jan. 14 confirmation hearing.

By Ryan Morgan and Nathan Worcester

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Columns

Can Ramaphosa and Trump Come to Terms?

Whether South Africa can quell the hostility emanating from Washington, without compromising on its national priorities, is a formidable test for a country

Maddened Europe

Viable prospects for peaceful settlement of conflict between Moscow and Kyiv exist, but Europe obsesses over threat of incursion onto European territory.

BOMBSHELL: DOGE Proves Democrats Guilty of Election Fraud!

As the old expression goes, “That didn’t take long!” Over...

Tariffs Will Make America Rich Again

The US won World War II because we could outproduce our enemies, Peter Navarro explained, and the American “arsenal of democracy” permitted the Allies to triumph.

America’s sport export

The popularity of baseball in Japan and Korea contrasts to a shrinking American audience where the average age of your MLB fan is a 57-year-old Caucasian man. 

News

FTC Chairman Raises Concerns Over Sale of 23andMe DNA Data

FTC said it was worried about the safety of the personal data of Americans who were previously customers of genetic testing company 23andMe.

Judge Dismisses COVID Lawsuit Against Former New York Gov. Cuomo

Judge dismissed class-action lawsuit against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo that blamed his admin for COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes across NY.

Tesla Firebombing Suspect Hit With Federal Charges

The U.S. Dept of Justice has filed federal charges against a suspect in connection with a firebombing attack on a Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado.

What to Expect From Trump’s Global Tariffs

Trump has dubbed April 2 “Liberation Day,” when he will unveil reciprocal tariffs to level the trading field between the United States and its 200 partners.

Voters Head to Polls in 3 Key Elections in Florida, Wisconsin: What to Watch For

On April 1, voters head to the polls for three races in Florida and Wisconsin, with substantial implications for the future beyond the current contests.

DNC, Schumer Sue Trump Over Order Targeting Illegal Immigrant Voting

DNC and two top U.S. lawmakers sued President Trump over a recent EO that aims to enforce the law against illegal immigrant voting and election dates.

Court Halts Trump Admin’s Move to Revoke Protected Status of Venezuelans

Federal judge in CA put a pause on the Trump admin’s plan to terminate TPS of 350,000 Venezuelan immigrants, whose legal status was set to expire on April 7.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central