On Friday evening, the GOP-led Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth to become Donald Trump‘s defense secretary, ending a dramatic confirmation process for the high-profile figure who aims to revitalize the U.S. military.
The final vote was 51-50. Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) along with Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) joined with Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them in opposing the nomination, leaving Vice President JD Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote.
#BREAKING: U.S. Senate CONFIRMS Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense, 51-50. @VP Vance breaks tie, second tie-breaking vote on Cabinet nominee in history. pic.twitter.com/6TiVfYQxR6
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 25, 2025
This was the second time in which a vice president broke a tie for a Cabinet nominee. The first instance happened in 2017 when then-Vice President Mike Pence…
