President Donald Trump emphasized the importance of securing victory after Vice President J.D. Vance broke a tie in the Senate, confirming Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense despite opposition from three Republicans, including former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Breitbart reported.
Trump responded to news that McConnell of Kentucky, along with Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voted against Hegseth's confirmation.
Trump said he was unaware of McConnell's opposition and focused instead on the successful confirmation.
"I didn't even know that," Trump said when asked if he was disappointed by McConnell's vote. "No, I don't know that. I just heard that we won. Winning is what matters, right?"
Hegseth's confirmation passed narrowly with a 51-50 vote.
Hegseth faced scrutiny following his nomination. Critics raised allegations about his past conduct and character, including claims that his tattoos were linked to white supremacy — a notion dismissed as inaccurate, as the tattoos are tied to his Christian faith.
Another accusation stemmed from a 2017 police report in which a woman alleged that Hegseth had raped her. The report concluded there was no evidence of rape, and surveillance footage contradicted her account.
Hegseth also faced criticism from a decade-old document produced by former colleagues at Concerned Veterans for America. The document accused him of excessive drinking at workplace events.
Additional controversy arose when the New York Times published a critical email from Hegseth's mother, who later apologized for her remarks.
More recently, Democrats circulated an affidavit from an estranged former sister-in-law alleging that Hegseth had abused his ex-wife, Samantha Deering.
Deering disputed the claim in an email to NBC News: "I do not believe your information to be accurate, and I have cc'd my lawyer. There was no physical abuse in my marriage."
Deering said she would not provide further comments, asking for her privacy to be respected.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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