Senate Confirms Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary 51-50, Vance Breaks the Tie
On the evening of January 24, 2025, the United States Senate in Washington, D.C. confirmed Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense by a vote of 51 to 50. The senators first split 50 to 50, and Vice President JD Vance, as President of the Senate, cast the tie-breaking vote in favor, confirming the nomination.
Hegseth's nomination, PN11-7, was President Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense; Hegseth is of Tennessee. The confirmation was Record Vote Number 15 in the Senate that day.
Voting against were all Democratic senators and the independents who caucus with them, joined by three Republicans: Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. The remaining Republicans voted in favor, producing the 50-50 tie.
Procedurally, the Senate had voted 51 to 49 the previous day, January 23, to invoke cloture and advance the nomination to a final vote; Murkowski and Collins had already voted no at that stage. At about 9:49 p.m. on January 24, Vance broke the tie and the final tally stood at 51 to 50.
It was only the second time in American history that a vice president's tie-breaking vote confirmed a Cabinet secretary, the first being Vice President Mike Pence's vote for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos in 2017. Hegseth was sworn in on the morning of January 25, with Vance administering the oath.
(Source: United States Senate)
Source: United States Senate
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Pete Hegseth 就任国防部长后的官方肖像。（美国国防部照片，Chad J. McNeeley 摄，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons） / Photo: Official portrait of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense. (U.S. Department of Defense photo by Chad J. McNeeley, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
