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Vice President Vance casts tie-breaking Senate vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary

The U.S. Senate voted Friday to confirm embattled Pete Hegseth as secretary of the Department of Defense, in a major win for President Donald Trump and his new administration.

Vice President JD Vance cast the 51-50 tie-breaking vote after former GOP Leader Mitch McConnell and GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine joined Democrats to oppose Hegseth’s nomination. 

It was just the second time in history that a vice president has broken a tie for a Cabinet nominee – the other being then-Vice President Mike Pence for Betsy DeVos’ 2017 confirmation to lead the Education Department.
 

Comment

Matthew (not verified)

25 January 2025

What if the "demon" Pete Hegseth become the greatest Sec. Def. ever? Senators Turtle Mitch, murky Murkowski, and "Katherine Hepburn" Collins will be the laughingstock more than they already are. What happen to Fetterman? I can't think of another quasi-open-minded Democrat Senator besides him. Where did you go Joe (Lieberman) Dimaggio?
I have faith in our new Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. Too many neo-con Rinos worshiped Dick Cheney. He shot down and stalled the MV-22 Osprey marine tilt-rotor aircraft program in the early 90's. Fast forward 15 years to 2007 and now to 2025, 33 years since he was Sec. Def., now that Osprey aircraft is a staple in Marine Corps aviation. It would have been nice to have that capability before 2007... The Cheney's need to go away, a long time ago. Same with Pelosi, Schumer, McConnell, Lindsey Graham, bernie Sanders, and Pocahontas.

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