Pete Hegseth Sworn In As Defense Secretary

The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth secretary of defense in a close vote on Friday night. With three Republican senators—Mitch McConnel (R-KY), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)—voting against the confirmation along with the 47 Senate Democrats, the initial vote was a 50-50 tie. That tie was broken by vice president J.D. Vance, elevating him to the position of secretary of defense.

Hegseth was one of president Trump’s more controversial nominees as an outsider who has never held the rank of general, a rare situation for an American secretary of defense. His confirmation demonstrates the strength of the incoming administration, which has suffered from uncertainty about its ability to fill key positions with the president’s desired personnel.