JD Vance breaks tie to confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary

WASHINGTON: The

US Senate

narrowly confirmed Pete Hegseth as

defense secretary

on Friday after he survived a bruising struggle with Democrats who decried the

Trump nominee

as unqualified and unfit to oversee the country's 1.3 million active duty troops and the Pentagon's nearly $850 billion budget.
Vice President

JD Vance

had to cast a tiebreaking vote to confirm Hegseth, after three Republicans - senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky - joined all Democrats in opposition. The final vote, 51-50, was the smallest margin for a defense secretary's confirmation since the position was created in 1947.
Hegseth, a military veteran and former Fox News host, has vowed to bring his self-described "warrior" ethos to the defense department, which he says has been made weak by "woke" generals and diversity programmes. Republican leaders embraced that outlook as they cheered his confirmation. "Peace through strength is back under President Trump and Hegseth," said senator Roger Wicker.
Democrats, who unanimously opposed Hegseth's confirmation, promised to continue their scrutiny of him. "I am going to watch him like a hawk," senator Jack Reed, said, adding: "I will demand accountability."

Hegseth's selection by President Donald Trump and the confirmation process were complicated by a claim of sexual assault and accusations of abusive behavior, public drunkenness and fiscal mismanagement of two nonprofit veterans groups