Pete Hegseth nomination clears key Senate hurdle as two Republicans signal opposition
Defense Secretary-designate Pete Hegseth inched closer to Senate confirmation Thursday after lawmakers voted to end debate on his nomination despite two Republicans signaling they would not vote for the controversial selection.
The 51-49 result tees up a final Friday night roll call vote that might secure the former Fox News host as the leader of the Pentagon for the next four years.
All 47 Democrats who participated in the cloture vote opposed Hegseth, 44, including Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) who had been coy about whether he’d support the nomination.
Two Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) — also voted against ending the filibuster.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who had been seen as another potential GOP “no” vote, backed advancing Hegseth’s nomination.
“I remain concerned about the message that confirming Mr. Hegseth sends to women currently serving and those aspiring to join,” Murkowski, 67, said in a statement prior to her vote.
“While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do nothing to quiet my concerns, the past behaviors Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces.”
Murkowski also stressed that she believes “character is the defining trait required of the Secretary of Defense” and added that Hegseth’s nomination “poses significant concerns that I cannot overlook.”
Collins, 72, drew attention to Hegseth’s resume and echoed Murkowski’s concerns about the nominee’s past statements about women serving in the military.
“While I appreciate his courageous military service and his ongoing commitment to our servicemembers and their families, I am concerned that he does not have the experience and perspective necessary to succeed in the job,” Collins explained after her vote.
Two days after President Trump’s election victory, Hegseth went on a podcast and declared: “We should not have women in combat roles.”
However, he later walked that back and explained he was open to women serving in combat positions “if we have the right standard and women meet that standard.”
Trump, 78, brushed aside Collins and Murkowski’s votes during a Q-and-A session with reporters in the Oval Office Thursday afternoon.
“No surprises there,” he said. “It’s too bad. It’s, you know, the way it is. It’s too bad.”
Hegseth can only afford to lose one more Republican vote before his nomination fails. In the event of a 50-50 tie, Vice President JD Vance is certain to intervene to ensure Hegseth’s confirmation.
Trump’s unconventional selection of Hegseth to helm the Pentagon came as a shock inside the Beltway due to the former “Fox & Friends” weekend co-host’s lack of experience within the military’s top brass.
The 47th president had made clear that he was keen on tapping an outsider to deliver a dramatic shakeup at the notoriously bureaucratic Pentagon.
Hegseth had been a vocal critic of what he dubbed “woke” military policies under the Biden administration — such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The Afghanistan and Iraq War Army veteran had also pledged to return the Department of Defense’s focus to military lethality.
But the nominee was haunted by anonymous accusations of sexual assault as well as excessive drinking, all of which Hegseth has strenuously denied.
Shortly after he was nominated, allegations surfaced that Hegseth raped a woman on Oct. 7, 2017, in Monterey, Calif., while he was participating in the California Federation of Republican Women conference.
Late Thursday afternoon, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released Hegseth’s written responses to questions from the lawmaker about his background — revealing he had paid the woman $50,000 in a settlement.
Hegseth’s lawyer, Tim Parlatore, claims that his client was essentially blackmailed into paying the previously undisclosed amount in exchange for the woman’s silence.
“Basically, he was totally innocent. He did nothing wrong here,” Parlatore previously told The Post. “We went through a mediation and ultimately settled for far less than what she wanted. And that should have completely buried it.”
Critics have also pointed to anonymous accusations about Hegseth’s drinking habits during his time at Fox News.
However, multiple anchors and reporters at the cable giant have gone on the record denying characterizations of him having an alcohol problem.
To allay any concerns, Hegseth has vowed not to drink on the job if he gets confirmed.
On Tuesday, senators were sent an affidavit from Danielle Diettrich Hegseth, the former wife of Pete’s brother, alleging that the nominee had been “abusive” toward his second wife.
However, Hegseth’s second wife Samantha has denied those accusations, including in a recent interview with the FBI, according to Parlatore.
Allies of Hegseth have accused his critics of mounting a “smear” campaign against him by promoting accounts like Danielle Hegseth’s despite denials by the subjects of her claim.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has threatened to hold the upper chamber over the weekend if need be to push through Trump’s nominees after Democrats objected to speeding up the process.
