It was one of Donald Trump’s most 'controversial' nominations. Pete Hegseth being selected to run the Pentagon as our next secretary of defense caused liberal America to melt down, leading to a prolonged media assault on his character based on zero evidence. Even then, the allegations were weak sauce, which was mainly grounded in unfounded rumors that he was intoxicated on the job and committed a sexual assault in 2017. All of which are inaccurate.
I thought I was done voting in the senate 😂
— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 25, 2025
JD Vance casts the tie-breaking vote — confirming Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense! pic.twitter.com/pxWTDwjXji
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 25, 2025
No doubt, Democratic senators grilled Hegseth at his confirmation hearing, but it wasn’t enough to derail the nomination. Still, we knew it would be a partisan vote on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Hegseth's nomination was sent to the Senate on a 14-13 vote, where he was later confirmed 51-50. Vice President JD Vance was summoned to perform his constitutional duty and break the tie.
Armed Services Committee votes 14-13 to send Hegseth nomination to the floor.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 20, 2025
Pete Hegseth will be the next Defense Secretary of the United States. Sen. Tom Tillis (R) of NC voted yes. McConnell vote now irrelevant. 50-50 tie, if that's how it lands, will be broken by VP Vance.
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) January 25, 2025
ARE YOU EXCITED?
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 25, 2025
Pete Hegseth has the votes to be confirmed as Donald Trump's Secretary of Defense, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
Do you support your next Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth? pic.twitter.com/AQfpzG0pn3
🚨 CONFIRMED: @PeteHegseth WILL BE YOUR SECDEF. @JDVance will soon cast the deciding vote. Pete and Jenny out-worked everybody—they deserve ALL the credit for getting this done. 🇺🇸
— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) January 25, 2025
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The journey for the final vote wasn't a cakewalk either, as the motion to invoke cloture barely passed 51-49. It's not a shocking development, as Hegseth's nomination is controversial. Still, it doesn't help that Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME), the carriers of Republican political heartburn in these fights, decided to jump ship over a new shoddy hit piece that NBC News and others ran about Mr. Hegseth reportedly being threatening to his second wife, which she denies. It was a last-minute ambush launched by Hegseth's brother's ex-wife. You cannot make this up.
If all time is used, final confirmation vote on Hegseth nomination would BEGIN at 8:57 pm et tomorrow night
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 23, 2025
***
After the Senate broke a filibuster on the nomination of Pete Hegseth to be Defense Secretary, opponents of the nomination have up to 30 hours of clock to burn before…
Senate votes 51-49 to end filibuster on Hegseth nomination. Senate can now burn up to 30 hours before a required vote to confirm Hegseth.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 23, 2025
Vote still open. But Senate has the votes to break the filibuster on the Hegseth nomination. That could tee up a confirmation vote tomorrow night
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 23, 2025
After serious rumors that Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) might vote against confirmation, things came down to the wire. At the last minute, he announced he'd back Mr. Hegseth.
From the beginning, I have been clear about my position: if President Trump’s nominees were reported favorably out of the relevant committees, I would support their confirmation on the Senate floor absent new material information about their qualifications. Once Pete Hegseth’s…
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) January 25, 2025
🚨 BREAKING: Senator Thom Tillis votes YES on Pete Hegseth's nomination to be Secretary of Defense, following rumors that he could be a surprise NO vote! pic.twitter.com/ifT7mSGWkR
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 25, 2025
Tillis votes for Hegseth. Talked to Hegseth for 2 hours today
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 25, 2025
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) did vote against the nomination, joining forces with Murkowski and Collins. What a disgrace.
Ultimate BETRAYAL?!
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 25, 2025
Mitch McConnell just voted NO to confirm Pete Hegseth on his confirmation to be Secretary of Defense. pic.twitter.com/YAjTMDuj2K
During the hearings, Hegseth's extramarital trysts were mentioned. Yet even voters know DC is a snake pit. It’s a hub where everyone is drunk and womanizes. The late Ted Kennedy, a hero of the Democratic Party, is infamous for both. If allegations of drinking and some trysts are all you have, again, given how people operate in DC, it’s a shoulder shrug. At the very least, it only highlights gross Democratic hypocrisy, as Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) pointed out. He wouldn’t let a character assassination attempt fall by the wayside.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin absolutely DESTROYS Democrats’ line of questioning for Hegseth 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nNBdsqNJEx
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 14, 2025
No one cares, especially Democrats who love a former president named Bill, who was credibly accused of rape multiple times. It’s how you know this was all for show.
Congratulations, Mr. Secretary.
***
Also, gross:
Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, and Susan Collins ALL VOTED NO too confirm Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 25, 2025
They all voted to confirm Lloyd Austin. pic.twitter.com/uZJofFfvjZ
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