Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
The Senate voted largely along party lines Thursday to advance Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s nominee to serve as defense secretary, brushing aside a litany of allegations of misconduct and objections from Democrats who argued that he was not qualified for the position.
The 51-49 vote to end debate over Hegseth’s nomination sets the stage for a final confirmation vote on Friday, when he is expected to get the majority support he needs to join Trump’s cabinet.
Republican senators Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) voted against Hegseth.
Trump has presented Hegseth as someone who would bring a new perspective to Pentagon leadership, overcome the “political agendas” of the Biden administration and help build the “most powerful military in the world.”
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee who strongly supported Hegseth throughout the confirmation process, argued that the American people gave Trump “a clear mandate ” to reform Washington.
He called Hegseth a “good choice” who would be “open to new ideas” and “not beholden to the status quo.”
Democrats, however, criticized Hegseth as completely incompetent and unfit to lead the nation’s armed forces given his lack of command experience and his multiple allegations of misconduct.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) on Thursday called Hegseth, a former Fox News host who retired from the Army with the rank of major, “absolutely qualified” and among Trump’s “very worst candidates” .
“Pete Hegseth has shown himself to be not only incapable of running a great organization, but often unable to present himself or present himself in a way that he could get anything done,” Schumer said.
Sen. Jack Reed (DR.I.), ranking member of the Armed Services panel, said Hegseth repeatedly “dodged and deferred” to accusations of “disregard for the laws of war, the bad financial management, the racist and sexist comments about men and women in uniform.” , alcohol abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment and other troubling issues.”
Democrats highlighted throughout the contentious confirmation process his infidelities with multiple spouses and allegations that he got drunk at work events.
That was enough to sway Murkowski, who announced shortly before the vote that he would vote against Hegseth, citing “significant concerns with his nomination.”
He said that running the “Department of Defense requires a great deal of experience and knowledge” and that Hegseth’s previous professional experience “does not indicate to me that he is ready for such an immense responsibility.”
“His leadership of two veteran organizations was marked by allegations of financial mismanagement and problems with the work culture he fostered,” he said.
Hegseth admitted during his confirmation hearing that he was “not a perfect person,” but strongly denied the allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2017 or that he mismanaged the finances of two veterans groups he led before ‘join Fox News as a Fox News Contributor. 2014
But the candidate admitted to having a consensual sexual encounter with the woman who accused him of assault in 2017 while he was still married to his second wife and soon after fathered a child with another woman who would become his third woman
Murkowski cited this behavior as a serious concern about the candidate’s judgment.
“While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do nothing to assuage my concerns, Mr. Hegseth’s admitted past behaviors, including infidelity on several occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that does not is appropriate for someone who would lead our armed forces,” she said.
The full Senate’s overwhelming vote to advance Hegseth marks a remarkable turnaround for the candidate.
He appeared to be in deep trouble in early December after allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement and public drunkenness appeared in various media outlets.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said she did not agree with Hegseth when asked about his position during a Fox News interview in early December, and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-Iowa) initially called the allegations “disturbing”. .”
Trump even floated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a possible plan B option to run the Pentagon before changing his mind and deciding to fully support his aspiring nominee.
The president’s advisers warned, however, that if he let Hegseth’s nomination go up in flames, it could embolden Democrats and set off a domino-like chain reaction of other Cabinet picks not moving forward.
Trump’s decision to double down on Hegseth was backed by a strong push from the president’s allies on social media, who piled immense pressure on wavering Senate Republicans, including Ernst and Graham, to support to the candidate
Ernst and Graham announced their support after Hegseth survived a tough confirmation hearing in which Democrats repeatedly grilled him about his drinking, his infidelity, his management of Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America and his vision of women in combat roles.
Ernst said after the hearing that Democrats “were just there to score political points,” adding “I think they failed.”
Graham said Hegseth showed his courage during several hours of overwhelming criticism.
“The democratic attacks were excessively personal and fell flat. It was clear that Pete was more prepared for the hearing than my Democratic colleagues,” he said.
Wicker held a vote Monday to report Hegseth’s nomination off the Senate Armed Services Committee over angry objections from Democrats on the panel, who argued that Republicans should respect the tradition of waiting at least seven days after a hearing to report a candidate to the plenary. .
The Armed Services panel voted along party lines, 14-13, to waive the seven-day rule and advance the nominee.
