Hot topics close

Pete Hegseth confirmed as Donald Trump's defence secretary after ...

Pete Hegseth confirmed as Donald Trumps defence secretary after
Pete Hegseth takes over as secretary of defence as the Trump administration launches a crackdown on immigration - including mass deportations.

Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's controversial choice for US defence secretary, has been confirmed for the job.

The 44-year-old ex-veteran and former Fox News host narrowly secured the top Pentagon post with vice president JD Vance casting the 51-50 tie-breaking vote.

Three Republican senators - Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky - joined Democrats to oppose his nomination.

It is the second time in history a vice president has broken a tie for a cabinet nominee. In 2017, then vice president Mike Pence was called in to break a tie to confirm Mr Trump's previous pick of Betsy DeVos as education secretary.

Mr Trump praised Mr Hegseth shortly after the vote, saying he would make a "great secretary of defence" in a post on Truth Social.

However, during the confirmation hearing, which was disrupted by three protesters, Mr Hegseth was accused of lacking the competence for the job.

Hours before the vote, Democrat after Democrat took to the Senate floor to object.

Senator Chris Murphy said during the debate there are few Trump nominees as "dangerously and woefully unqualified as Hegseth".

Spreaker This content is provided by Spreaker, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Spreaker cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Spreaker cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Spreaker cookies for this session only.
Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once

???? Follow Trump 100 on your podcast app ????

Mr Hegseth is the most divisive candidate to clinch the US military's top job.

He is a controversial choice because of past statements and actions, including allegations of sexual assault - which he has denied - excessive drinking, and derisive views about women in military combat roles.

But most Senate Republicans fell into line to defend Mr Hegseth.

Senate majority leader John Thune said Mr Hegseth, as a veteran of the Army National Guard who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, "will bring a warrior's perspective" to the post.

Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the armed services committee, however, said in a statement he would watch the new defence secretary "like a hawk" and "demand accountability".

Read more:Migrants in shackles led on to US military planeNearly all US aid programmes worldwide frozenTrump threatens to 'get rid' of US emergency agency

Mr Hegseth steps into the role as the new Trump administration has said border security and immigration will be a focus for the US military.

Little is known about his views on key foreign policy issues such as arming Ukraine, preparing the US military for a potential conflict with China, and whether he would seek to scale back the country's footprint in places including Syria and Iraq.

Former president Joe Biden's defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, was confirmed by a 93-2 vote in 2021, and Jim Mattis, Mr Trump's first defence secretary in his last administration, was confirmed by a 98-1 vote in 2017.

Similar news
News Archive
  • Nail polish
    Nail polish
    Global Nail Polish Market Research Report 2018 Forecast Till 2023
    4 May 2019
    1
  • Toni Kroos
    Toni Kroos
    Real Madrid want Toni Kroos U-turn on retirement Ancelotti ESPN
    1 Jun 2024
    9
  • Gaza Strip
    Gaza Strip
    Nearly 74,000 Palestinians displaced in Gaza amid conflict: UN
    9 Oct 2023
    3
  • Sudan massacre
    Sudan massacre
    Sudan massacre – Blue wave of solidarity sweeps social media after Brit student shot dead protecting two w
    13 Jun 2019
    1
  • T20 World Cup 2021
    T20 World Cup 2021
    T20 World Cup 2021: Inside the complicated and lopsided India vs Pakistan rivalry
    24 Oct 2021
    1
  • Joe Flaherty
    Joe Flaherty
    'SCTV' star and comedian Joe Flaherty has died at 82 after an ...
    3 Apr 2024
    2
This week's most popular news