Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has been confirmed as the next United States secretary of defense, receiving the keys to the nation’s largest federal agency.
After a tense Senate confirmation hearing on Jan. 14, a number of Republicans who previously expressed doubts about Hegseth’s nomination declared that they would fall in line behind President Donald Trump’s preferred candidate.
The Senate Armed Services Committee, which helped vet Hegseth, recommended on Jan. 20 that he be confirmed by the full Senate, and on Friday, Jan. 24, the Senate heeded the committee’s advice by voting 51-50 to approve his nomination.
Vice President J.D. Vance needed to place a tie-breaking vote after Republican Senators Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins joined all Democrats in voting against Hegseth’s nomination, per the Associated Press.
Hegseth was considered one of Trump’s riskiest nominations, making his confirmation a major feat for the administration. Three other controversial nominees will be put to the test next: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services; Tulsi Gabbard, nominated for director of national intelligence; and Kash Patel, nominated for FBI director.
Prior to Hegseth’s confirmation vote, Murkowski and Collins revealed that they would oppose his nomination to oversee the Pentagon and all U.S. Armed Forces, each writing lengthy statements that explained their similar, myriad reasons for voting against him — including mentions of his many controversies, thin résumé, and previous comments he’s made about how women do not belong in combat roles.
“He and I had a candid conversation in December about his past statements and apparently evolving views,” Collins wrote on X. “I am not convinced that his position on women serving in combat roles has changed.”
From Murkowski’s X statement: “Above all, I believe that character is the defining trait required of the Secretary of Defense, and must be prioritized without compromise. The leader of the Department of Defense must demonstrate and model the standards of behavior and character we expect of all servicemembers, and Mr. Hegseth’s nomination to the role poses significant concerns that I cannot overlook.”
Hegseth’s nomination on Nov. 13, 2024, was quickly tainted by a resurfaced sexual assault allegation from 2017.
According to a police report, his accuser alleged that the former Fox News host had sexually assaulted her at the 2017 California Federation of Republican Women biennial conference — where Hegseth was the keynote speaker and the woman was an organizer.
Hegseth was never charged in connection to the incident. However, he entered into a settlement agreement with the woman, which included monetary compensation and a confidentiality clause, per CNN.
On Jan. 23, The Associated Press reported that the settlement payment amounted to $50,000.
When the police report resurfaced, Hegseth’s attorney, Timothy Parlatore, told CNN: “This police report confirms what I’ve said all along, that the incident was fully investigated, and police found the allegations to be false, which is why no charges were filed.”
Trump’s transition team expressed similar sentiments one day later, claiming police found the allegations to be false — though authorities only concluded that they did not have enough evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Hegseth denied the allegations and said they were “anonymous, false charges.”
The scandal involving Hegseth grew when The New York Times obtained a 2018 email from Penelope Hegseth, the Fox News host’s mother. In the correspondence, she called him “despicable” and “an abuser of women,” though she told the outlet she rescinded her thoughts to her son one day later.
The New Yorker then reported on Dec. 1 that Hegseth was allegedly ousted from previous nonprofit leadership positions due to mismanagement of funds, repeated drunkenness and misconduct with women.
Hegseth downplayed the claims as part of a coordinated smear campaign during his confirmation hearing and vowed that he would not drink if he was confirmed.
Many Republicans withheld their support for Hegseth amid the controversies, though Trump maintained outward confidence that his nominee still had a path to getting confirmed.
On Jan. 21, before the Senate took Hegseth’s confirmation to a vote, his former sister-in-law came forward with new allegations against him, claiming in an affidavit submitted to the Senate that his second wife, Samantha, feared for her safety and made escape plans, allegedly going so far as to develop a code word that she could use to get help.
Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, told NBC News in a statement, “As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation. I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this sworn affidavit confirms that fact.”
Reed added that “the alleged pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr. Hegseth is disturbing. This behavior would disqualify any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the Secretary of Defense.”
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In an email to NBC News, Samantha asserted that there was no physical abuse in her marriage.
Hegseth’s lawyer also responded to the latest allegations: “Sam has never alleged that there was any abuse, she signed court documents acknowledging that there was no abuse and recently reaffirmed the same during her FBI interview.”
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