US Senate confirms Pete Hegseth as head of Pentagon, with help from Vice President

Pete Hegseth's nomination, which was previously put forward by Donald Trump for the position of Secretary of Defense, was not supported by a significant number of senators.

Democrats, in particular, criticized the congressman, veteran, and Fox News host for his lack of qualifications, calling him unsuitable for managing the military and the nearly $850 billion budget of the US Department of Defense.

As a result, during the Senate vote on Friday, the vote was split 50-50 (with three Republicans joining the Democrats in opposition).

Ultimately, Vice President JD Vance exercised his power to cast the tie-breaking vote, making Hegseth the new head of the Pentagon. According to US law, in the event of a tie, the vice president casts the decisive vote.

Hegseth himself has stated that he will bring a warrior spirit to the US Department of Defense.

According to Senate vote data, the final result of 51 to 50 marked the smallest margin for the confirmation of a defense secretary since the position was created in 1947.

What is known about Pete Hegseth

Peter Brian Hegseth, 44, is a US Army veteran and officer in the National Guard. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Hegseth holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and a master's degree from Harvard University.

He is a co-host of Fox & Friends Weekends and the author of the book The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free. He previously served as executive director of Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America.

In 2012, Hegseth ran for the Senate seat from Minnesota as a Republican, competing against Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar. However, he withdrew from the race in May after the state convention. Republican Kurt Bills won the primary but lost in the general election.

Hegseth is known for his role in persuading President Trump to pardon three American soldiers who were charged or convicted of war crimes related to shootings of non-combatants in Iraq.

He was also considered for the position of Secretary of Veterans Affairs during Trump's first administration.

It was also reported that Trump's nomination of Hegset for the position of head of the Pentagon shocked Washington. Additionally, according to media reports, Trump had considered other candidates for the position of Secretary of Defense.

Recently, CNN wrote that Hegset paid $50,000 to a woman who claimed he had harassed her. Western media noted that this payment allegedly took place as part of a confidentiality agreement with the victim.

To find out more about Hegset, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.