The Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday favorably reported, 14-13, the nomination of Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s pick to run the Defense Department, on a party-line vote that will likely spell partisan opposition for Hegseth in the days ahead.
All Democrats on the panel opposed Hegseth, according to a committee aide, a partisan divide that will likely play out further when the full Senate votes on his confirmation.
Hegseth is one of the most controversial of Trump’s Cabinet choices, and has for months weathered a storm of negative press and a contentious Senate hearing that focused on allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and financial mismanagement.
Hegseth has denied the allegations and said he is the victim of an anonymous smear campaign.
Democrats also panned the nominee for past comments in which he said women should not serve in combat, and for his lack of experience.
Senate Republicans will likely try to quickly get the veteran and former Fox News host confirmed, but Democrats would have to agree to fast-tracking floor action — which is unlikely. In some instances, previous Defense secretaries, including James Mattis, Trump’s first Defense secretary during his first term, have been confirmed on Jan. 20, but Democratic opposition prevented that from happening this time.
Assuming Democrats stall action on Hegseth as long as possible, the full Senate will likely vote to confirm him on Wednesday or Thursday.
Though some Republicans were initially cold on Hegseth — most notably Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, whose own name was at one point floated for the top Pentagon job — those reactions have warmed as pressure built to get Hegseth through.
And no GOP members have outright opposed Hegseth. The nominee can afford to lose only up to three Republicans and still get confirmed, assuming all Democrats oppose him, which is also not guaranteed.
In the meantime, Robert Salesses, the deputy director of the Washington Headquarters Services, will serve as acting secretary of Defense, the White House announced Monday.
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