The U.S. Senate on Friday confirmed former Fox News commentator Pete Hegseth as the Secretary of Defense in a razor-thin 50-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. Despite concerns over Hegseth’s qualifications and allegations of past abusive behavior, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., rallied support for the nominee, emphasizing his unconventional approach and advocacy for service members.
Hegseth’s Vision for the Department of Defense
Wicker defended Hegseth, a former U.S. Army National Guard member with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, as a leader capable of addressing challenges within the Pentagon. He argued that Hegseth’s leadership would prioritize “lethality and readiness” while moving away from “divisive social policies” like gender-affirming care for military families.
“[Hegseth] will put the men and women of our military first,” Wicker said, emphasizing his commitment to shaking up bureaucratic stagnation in the DOD.
