Senate narrowly confirms Hegseth as new secretary of defense

The Senate last week narrowly confirmed Pete Hegseth as the new secretary of defense with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie breaking vote on a Friday evening.

Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon was approved largely along party lines while three Republicans, Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), joined all Democrats in voting against confirmation having cited concerns with the sexual assault allegations he’s faced and his prior comments against women serving in combat roles. 

Army veteran and Fox News host Hegseth was considered an unconventional pick for Trump’s defense secretary, where he is now tasked with overseeing the country’s largest employer and leading the Department of Defense as it navigates competition with China and the continued conflict in Ukraine as Russia’s invasion remains ongoing.

Hegseth at his confirmation hearing offered his views on Pentagon acquisition reform, stating he would focus on increasing competition and eliminating the so-called ‘Valley of Death’ for startups and Silicon Valley firms.

“We’re going to rebuild our military, always matching threats to capabilities. This includes reviving our defense industrial base, reforming the acquisition process…no more ‘Valley of Death’ for new defense companies – modernizing our nuclear triad, ensuring the Pentagon can pass an audit and rapidly fielding emerging technologies,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth at the hearing sparred with Democrats who pressed him on the sexual assault allegations he has faced, with Sen. Jack Reed, ranking member on the Armed Services Committee, having called him “the least qualified nominee for Secretary of Defense in modern history.”

During the Jan. 14 confirmation hearing, Hegseth noted that Trump has “said definitively” that shipbuilding will be one of his “absolute top priorities.”

“We need to reinvigorate our defense industrial base in this country, to include our shipbuilding capacity,” he said. “The workforce problems that our shipyards are facing are significant.” 

A version of this story was first published by Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily.