WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Thursday to nominate Pete Hegseth to be President Donald Trump’s defense secretary, putting him on a path to final confirmation at the end of the week.
The vote was 51-49, with only two Republicans — moderate Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine — voting with all 47 Democrats to try to block Hegseth. He needed a simple majority to move to the final vote.
Shortly before the vote, Murkowski became the first Republican to publicly oppose Hegseth’s nomination, saying some of the past behavior he admitted to demonstrated a “lack of judgment” and was “unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces.
After the vote, Collins said she raised concerns directly with Hegseth about his past comments that women should not serve in combat roles.
During his confirmation hearing, Hegseth walked back those comments, telling senators he supported women serving in combat as long as standards remained high. But Collins said in her statement that she was “not convinced that her position on women serving in combat roles has changed.”
Still, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who guided Hegseth through the process, said after the vote that Hegseth would be confirmed Friday. Asked about Murkowski and Collins’ opposition, Wicker said, “I wasn’t surprised and I understand.”
Thursday’s vote marked a a significant step forward for Hegseth, whose appointment last month appeared on the verge of collapse after several news reports detailed allegations of alcohol abuse, sexual assault and financial mismanagement of the organizations he led .
Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor and Army combat veteran, has denied all of the allegations.
The GOP-led Senate voted to end debate on his nomination after 11th hour revelations that a former sister-in-law of Hegseth said in an affidavit shared with senators that he had demonstrated “erratic and aggressive behavior over many years.” years” and had made his ex-wife, Samantha Hegseth, “fear for his safety” while they were married. The former sister-in-law, Daniella Hegseth, also wrote in the affidavit that “Samantha once told me that Hegseth grabbed her groin without her consent at their home.”
The affidavit was submitted in response to a request for information from Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee. The existence of the affidavit was first reported by NBC News.
Daniella Hegseth said she “did not personally witness any physical or sexual abuse by Hegseth.” Samantha Hegseth said in a statement that there was no physical violence during her marriage to Hegseth. His ex-wife’s lawyer did not respond to this unprecedented allegation.
Tim Parlatore, Pete Hegseth’s attorney, wrote in an email: “As NBC is well aware, the real participant, Samantha, has denied these false allegations, but NBC continues to irresponsibly report false allegations by an unrelated third party. implied as if they were facts. .”
Despite Thursday’s vote, Hegseth is still not out of the woods. If four Republican senators joined all 47 Democrats in the final vote, Hegseth would not have the majority he needs to be confirmed.
While Sens. Shelly Moore Capito, RW.Va., and Mike Rounds, RS.D., confirmed they would vote in favor of Hegseth and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, reiterated her support for him Thursday , several others remained in office. the fence.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said he would vote to advance Hegseth’s nomination and appeared to lean toward final passage as he investigated the myriad allegations against Hegseth.
“I am still reviewing the matter…I am doing extensive due diligence,” Tillis said Thursday. “I have spoken to many people. I have spent hours on the phone. I have yet to find a single example of direct testimony corroborating the allegations. If I find it, it will influence my vote.
“But I did my due diligence, I looked for it and I didn’t find it,” Tillis said.
Wicker, the Armed Services chairman, predicted how close a final vote on Hegseth could be, suggesting Vice President J.D. Vance might be needed to break a 50-50 tie.
“If I was JD Vance, I would stay,” Wicker said.
Speaking against Hegseth’s nomination, Reed, the top Democrat in charge of the armed services, said on the Senate floor that he believed the FBI’s initial background check on Hegseth was rushed and incomplete. He said the FBI had to give him two additional briefings on Hegseth since then, including Wednesday evening.
“Prior to Mr. Hegseth’s hearing, I was alarmed that investigators had neglected to contact critical witnesses and whistleblowers, and I urged them to reopen the investigation,” Reed said in his speech. “In my time on the Armed Services Committee, it is unprecedented that the FBI has returned to my office twice, as recently as last night, to provide additional information about the nominee.
“Frankly, I still don’t believe the investigation is over,” he said.
