The Senate barreled toward a vote late Friday night on whether to confirm Pat Hegseth as defense secretary, with the outcome still largely uncertain as a handful of Republicans weighed in. Whether to support President Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon.
Mr Hegseth’s confirmation was further complicated earlier this week, when a former sister-in-law submitted a sworn statement to the Armed Services Committee alleging he was “abusive” with his second wife. and is frequently drunk in public and private. At least once in uniform.
Mr Hegsett denied the allegations in an affidavit, having previously denied allegations of sexual assault, as well as allegations of financial mismanagement and public intoxication. But the document has led disaffected Republicans to question whether Mr. Hegseth has the character and the willpower to manage an active-duty military of about 1.3 million service members and a Pentagon budget of about $850 billion. is
Two Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — have already publicly announced they plan to oppose Mr. Hegsett’s confirmation. If another Republican were to join them, Vice President J.D. Vance could cast the tie-breaking vote to ensure his approval. But if there are further breakdowns in the ranks, it will sink Mr Hegseth’s bid.
In comments to reporters at the White House on Friday, Mr. Trump suggested he was putting the brakes on at least one more Republican to potentially oppose Mr. Hegsett’s confirmation.
“I was very surprised that Collins and Murkowski would do it,” he said as he left for a trip to North Carolina and California on the South Lawn. “And of course Mitch is always a ‘no’ vote I guess.”
“Is Mitch a ‘no’ vote?” He added. “What about Mitch?”
Mr Trump was referring to Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, who has been notably silent on Mr Hagseth’s nomination. Mr McConnell voted to proceed with a confirmation vote on Thursday. Senator Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina, also voted to proceed in the final vote, though he told reporters he was still “pushing” on the nomination.
Most Republicans have dismissed the affidavit of the former brother-in-law, Danielle Dietrich Hegseth, who pointed to a statement Mr. Hegseth’s ex-wife, Samantha Hegseth, made to NBC News denying that It has been said that Mr Hegsett has physically abused all these claims to discredit them. .
Senator Joni Ernst, Republican of Iowa, who had supported Mr. Hegseth for weeks until the pressure to confirm, fought alongside him, telling reporters that Samantha Hegseth’s denial of physical abuse meant the affidavit was “no It doesn’t hold weight.”
Samantha Hegseth is hit with the hurdles of an inexplicably disproportionality clause in the couple’s 2018 divorce settlement. In the order, Samantha and Pete Hegseth “agreed to refrain from involving themselves in any public conversation, whether through traditional media or social media, disparaging the other party and dissuading friends and family from doing so.” will take reasonable steps to encourage them to stay.”
Such clauses are a common feature of divorces that involve children, as Hegsets did.
In a recent interview with FBI investigators, Samantha Hegseth said that Mr. Hegseth had been drinking heavily and had continued to do so, according to a person with information about him.
The FBI had no comment.
If the Senate rejects Mr. Hegseth’s nomination, it will be the first time since the administration of former President George HW Bush that a nominee for defense secretary has failed on the confirmation vote. In 1989, the Senate impeached John Tower, Mr. Bush’s secretary of defense, by a vote of 47 to 53, citing concerns about his drinking, his treatment of women and his work for defense contractors. Potential conflicts of interest have been waived.
If Mr Hegsett is confirmed, it is likely to be by the closest margin in modern times for a defense secretary.
