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Newly-confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth received strong praise from President Trump and other Republicans following a nail-biting Senate vote Friday night that will see him take command of the Pentagon.
“Congratulations to Pete Hegseth,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after the Senate voted 51-50 to make the Army veteran and former Fox News host the leader of the nation’s armed forces.
“He will make a great Secretary of Defense!”
Three Republican senators – Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky – joined all 47 Democrats to oppose Trump’s nominee, forcing Vice President JD Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote.
“I thought I was done voting in the senate,” Vance quipped on X with a tears of joy emoji.
Hegseth, a retired Army major and fierce critic of “woke” military initiatives, was among the most controversial of Trump’s cabinet appointments due to allegations of personal misconduct – including sexual assault, financial mismanagement and binge-drinking on the job.
The 44-year-old also drew ire from Democratic officials regarding past statements he’s made about women serving in the military, publicly declaring after the November election that women shouldn’t serve in combat roles.
Despite the criticism, the majority of Republicans stood behind him.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) said he was “very pleased” to see Hegseth confirmed and looks forward to working with him to “make America strong and secure once again.”
“Pete has served in the Army National Guard as a front line officer, and he has a keen intellect and a passion for the warfighter,” Graham posted on social media.
“He did an excellent job during a very contentious hearing and withstood all the attacks that came his way. He is bullish on creating a larger, more lethal military and is clear-eyed about America’s enemies, including Iran. Israel will have no better friend than Pete Hegesth.”
Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama) celebrated the confirmation on the social media platform, stating that she is looking forward to working with Hegseth to “restore peace through strength” to support the nation’s service members.
“Congrats Mr. Secretary,” Republican Whip John Thune (R-South Dakota) posted on X with an American flag emoji and photos of him hugging Hegseth.
“Tonight, I was proud to vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) posted to X.
“He is the change agent that the DOD desperately needs. Let’s go to work.”
Donald Trump’s son, Donald Jr., and Megyn Kelly also commemorated the confirmation, with both lauding the supporting vote as a great day for America and its armed forces.
Democrats, on the other hand, decried the decision to confirm Hegseth, who has served tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.
“Pete Hegseth’s confirmation will make our nation less safe,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) posted on X.
“It is a sad and dangerous day when Republican Senators put loyalty to President Trump ahead of our national security.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the military deserves someone better, describing Hegseth as “erratic and unqualified.”
“Hegseth has defended war criminals & rejected international law,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) posted on X prior to the vote.
“He’s a prominent advocate for privatizing the VA. He was forced to step down from leading two advocacy groups after repeated allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual harassment & alcohol abuse. I’m voting NO.”
McConnell also defended his decision to vote against party lines, calling the position of defense secretary the most consequential cabinet official in any administration with the consequences of failure higher than they’ve ever been.
“In his testimony before the Committee, Mr. Hegseth provided no substantial observations on how to defend Taiwan or the Philippines against a Chinese attack, or even whether he believes the United States should do so,” McConnell said in a lengthy statement that ended with him wishing Hegseth “great success”
“He failed, for that matter, to articulate in any detail a strategic vision for dealing with the gravest long-term threat emanating from the PRC. Absent, too, was any substantive discussion of countering our adversaries’ alignment with deeper alliance relationships and more extensive defense industrial cooperation of our own.”
