Vice President J.D. Vance cast his first tie-breaking vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary on Friday night. The vote was 51-50, with three Republican senators — Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski — joining all Democrats in opposing the nomination.
This marked only the second time in U.S. history that a vice president has broken a tie to confirm a Cabinet nominee, the first being Mike Pence’s vote for Betsy DeVos as education secretary during Trump’s presidency, according to The Washington Times.
Supporters of Hegseth praised his plans to reform the Pentagon by eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, focusing instead on merit-based policies to improve military readiness.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune described Hegseth as a “warrior” who would end “woke distractions” and prioritize military strength.
Thank you for your confidence Mr. President.
Thank you for the tie-breaker Mr. Vice President.
Thank you Senators for 50 votes.
This is for the troops. For the warriors. For our country.
America First. Every day. We will never back down. 🇺🇸
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 25, 2025
Hegseth is a former Army officer and Fox News host.
His nomination was complicated by allegations of financial mismanagement of veterans’ organizations he oversaw, as well as accusations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse.
Despite the controversies, Hegseth’s backers emphasized his commitment to overhauling the Defense Department and bringing a combat veteran’s perspective to the position. His leadership will likely face close scrutiny as he takes on this significant role.