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One of Donald Trump’s most controversial elections has been closely confirmed by the US Senate to lead the Pentagon, despite allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse.
Pete Hegseth will become US Secretary of Defense after the Senate voted 51-50 in his favor on Friday evening after Vice President JD Vance broke the equation.
Republican senators Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins joined the Democrats in the vote against Hegseth’s confirmation.
Hegseth survived a recent attempt by the Democrats to prevent his confirmation after his former brother-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, made a sworn statement accusing him of being so abusive with his ex-wife that she hid in a closet for fear of it. its safety. She also claimed that he had abused alcohol for years.
Former Fox News present is a departure from the typical secretary of defense. His predecessor, Lloyd Austin, was a retired military general who oversee the US Central Command, which includes military operations in the Middle East.
A loud opponent of “awakening”, Hegseth, has pledged to bring a “warrior” culture back to the US military while the Trump administration moves to give up the federal government’s diversity initiatives.
He also said one of his priorities would be to secure the US-Mexico border. The Pentagon said on Wednesday that he would send 1500 additional active troops to the southern US border, a 60 percent increase, by order of the president.
McConnell said he voted against Hegseth because the candidate lacks “strategic vision” on how to address the biggest challenges of US national security.
Hegseth “did not provide essential observations on how to defend Taiwan or the Philippines” and “did not” articulate in any detail a strategic vision to deal with China, “McConnell said. The future secretary of defense also failed to demonstrate that he can manage the pentagon effectively.
On Thursday, Murskowski said he could not vote for him “with good conscience”, while Collins said “he was not convinced that his position for women serving in combat roles had changed.”
Prior to the vote, Trump told reporters on Friday that “he was very surprised that Collins and Murkowski would do this”, adding that “Pete is a very, very good man.”
He also predicted that McConnell would also be an obstacle: “Of course, Mitch is always a ‘no’ vote, I think.”
Trump shocked Washington and defense circles when he chose Hegseth, who served in the National Guard of the Army for the role. Since then he has been followed by allegations of sexual assault, alcohol abuse, misogynistic, sexism and racism.
Hegseth said in written answers to questions that he paid $ 50,000 to the woman who accused her of sexual assault in a California hotel room in 2017, according to Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Hegseth dismissed allegations of sexual assault, his character and readiness for the high post in the Pentagon as “a slander campaign” at his confirmation session in the Senate last week. He also tried to review his previous statements about military women, saying they “would have access to terrestrial combat roles, given that standards remain high”.
In the broadcast, Hegseth became known for denouncing diversity, equality and comprehensive initiatives. Dei’s policies in the military were the “division of troops” and the obligation of “commanders to walk over the eggshells,” Hegeseth said in hearing.
More fireworks for senate confirmation can come when two other cabinet contested candidates, Robert f Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, to be baked by senators on January 29 and 30, respectively. Both former democrats, Kennedy, has been selected for Secretary of Health and Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence.
