The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as defense secretary on Friday evening 51-50 with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie vote.
The vote came down on a party line, with Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME), Mitch McConnell (KY), and Lisa Murkowski (AK) defecting.
It was a long, hard-won fight against Democrats and a coordinated smear campaign facilitated by mainstream media outlets. At one point early on, his nomination appeared doomed, with several key Republicans expressing doubts.
However, the combat veteran and former Fox News host launched his own campaign, spending weeks on Capitol Hill meeting with Republican senators and discussing their concerns.
Hegseth also met with Democrat senators as well, although they made it clear they opposed his nomination from the get-go.
Democrats also tried to tank his nomination in a last-ditch effort by circulating an affidavit from an estranged former sister-in-law who alleged that Hegseth had abused his ex-wife, Samantha Deering.
Deering denied to NBC News, who first reported the affidavit. that there was any abuse during their marriage, and said she believed their information was not accurate.
However, media outlets ran with the allegations from the former sister-in-law, Danielle Dietrich — who had been divorced from Hegseth’s brother since 2019.
The affidavit reportedly threatened the support from Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who expressed reservations as late as Friday. He reportedly asked for additional answers from Hegseth on Friday afternoon, just hours before the expected vote.
As the vote was underway, Hegseth posted on X a letter to Tillis addressing his concerns.
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 25, 2025
Hegseth could only afford to lose three Republican votes to be confirmed with the help of Vance.
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