Washington: The U.S. Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as President Donald Trump's defense secretary late Friday, facing significant opposition from both Democrats and some Republicans. The confirmation saw an unusual level of dissent, with three Republicans joining all Democrats in objecting to Hegseth's nomination, resulting in a 50-50 vote in the Senate.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Hegseth, a former Fox News host, secured his position as the defense secretary when Vice President JD Vance intervened to break the tie in his role as president of the Senate. This confirmation marked only the second instance in U.S. history where a cabinet candidate required a tie-breaking vote for confirmation. The first occurrence was in 2017, involving another Trump nominee, Betsy DeVos, who became the secretary of education.