Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump's nominee for US Defense Secretary, was confirmed by the Senate on Friday night despite facing misconduct allegations that almost derailed his confirmation.
Vice President JD Vance broke the tie, voting in favor of Hegseth after three Republican senators, including former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, opposed him.
Hegseth, a former combat veteran and ex-Fox News host, will lead a department with three million employees and a budget of $849 billion.
Four Republicans needed to join the 47 Democrats and independents opposing Hegseth to block his nomination. McConnell's unexpected vote tied the Senate 50-50 until Vance made the decisive vote.
McConnell criticized Hegseth, stating he was unprepared to oversee such a vast department and its budget.
During his confirmation hearing, Hegseth stated, "Warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness. That's it. That is my job."
Democratic senators questioned his qualifications, while Republicans, including Trump, supported him.
Still, allegations of misconduct overshadowed the confirmation process, including claims of sexual assault and excessive drinking. Hegseth denied the accusations but acknowledged past personal flaws.
Some senators, like Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, voted against him due to concerns over his past behavior and lack of experience.