Pete Hegseth was sworn in on Saturday as the 29th U.S. Secretary of Defense following a narrow Senate vote of 51-50. Hegseth took the oath of office before Vice President JD Vance at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, with his wife Jennifer Rauchet by his side and surrounded by Republican senators. The ceremony took place less than 12 hours after Vice President Vance cast the deciding vote in the Senate to break the 50-50 tie on Hegseth’s confirmation.
In his brief remarks, Hegseth outlined the principles that will guide him in his role: “Restoring a fighting spirit in everything we do, rebuilding the military, and restoring deterrence power.”
“We don’t want wars, we want to prevent them… and we want to end them with accountability. But if we must fight, we will do so with overwhelming force and decisively destroy the enemy, bringing our troops back home,” he stated.
Hegseth thanked President Trump for his support and pledged that, as Secretary of Defense, he would focus on “America First” and rebuilding the U.S. military.
In an email to American troops, Hegseth wrote, “We will continue to be the most powerful and lethal force in the world,” emphasizing the need to “prevent aggression from Communist China in the Indo-Pacific region… and to reorient ourselves toward key threats. We will stand with our allies, and our enemies have gotten the message,” he said.
Senate Approval
Pete Hegseth was confirmed after a 50-50 vote in the Senate, thanks to Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking vote. Three Republican senators voted against Hegseth’s nomination for Secretary of Defense.
This marks the second time in history that a cabinet nominee required the intervention of the vice president to be confirmed.
“Pete Hegseth is ready to implement President Donald Trump’s agenda, and I believe he will be an agent of change at the Department of Defense and that he is the person we need,” said Republican Senator Roger Wicker.
“Mr. Hegseth is aware of the weaknesses within the Department of Defense. He is also committed to ensuring the protection of whistleblowers who report abuse cases that have been rampant within the department,” said Republican Senator Chuck Grassley.
Three Republican senators who voted against Hegseth, joining Democrats, were Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Mitch McConnell, who had been the Republican leader in the Senate until earlier this month.
McConnell stated that Hegseth had not demonstrated the ability to effectively manage such a large and complex organization as the military. “Simply wanting to be a ‘change agent’ is not enough to take on this role,” said Senator McConnell in a statement.
Hegseth, a former Fox News journalist and highly decorated veteran, has pledged to make significant changes at the Pentagon.
Senate Democrats raised concerns about Hegseth’s qualifications, temperament, and views on the role of women in combat.
“There are hundreds of others without the personal baggage of sexual abuse accusations, domestic abuse, who have not been accused of showing up drunk to work or engaging in abuses that are subject to a very wide-ranging report written by anonymous collaborators,” said Democratic Senator Tim Kaine.
Hegseth has sparked significant debate regarding his nomination for the top defense position.
“Mr. Hegseth has not shown the proper judgment to be Secretary of Defense. He has not demonstrated the character to be Secretary of Defense because this job is a great responsibility, and he is not the right person for the job,” said Democratic Senator Adam Schiff.
As Secretary of Defense, Hegseth will now oversee 1.3 million active-duty military personnel and approximately 1 million civilians working for the U.S. Armed Forces, with an annual budget of about $1 trillion.
