Senate to vote on Pete Hegseth confirmation for defense secretary | Pete Hegseth

The Senate will vote Friday night on the nomination of Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s controversial choice for US defense secretary, but mounting concerns over Hegseth’s personal history and inexperience have cast doubt on his chances of confirmation.

Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Army veteran, cleared a key procedural hurdle Thursday after 51 Republican senators voted to advance his nomination against a final vote. But two Senate Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined their Democratic colleagues in voting against advancing Hegseth’s nomination because of their skepticism about his qualifications.

“After careful evaluation, I must conclude that I cannot in good conscience support his nomination for Secretary of Defense,” Murkowski said in a statement Thursday. “I commend Pete Hegseth’s service to our nation, including leading troops into battle and advocating for our veterans. However, these findings do not alleviate my significant concerns about his nomination. “

Hegseth can only afford to lose the votes of three Senate Republicans assuming every Democratic senator opposes his nomination, so it appears he’s still on track for confirmation. Two Republican senators who had been considered potential no votes, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, both supported advancing Hegseth’s nomination Thursday.

In a floor speech on Friday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican, praised Hegseth’s qualifications and predicted he would steer the Pentagon in a new, forward-thinking direction.

“A veteran of the Army National Guard who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Mr. Hegseth will bring a warrior perspective to the role of Secretary of Defense and will provide much needed fresh air in the Pentagon,” Thune said.

And yet, Hegseth continues to face questions about allegations of sexual assault, excessive alcohol use and financial management of two non-profits he ran. On Thursday news broke that Hegseth paid $50,000 in a settlement to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017.

A series of podcast recordings uncovered by the Guardian also revealed that Hegseth appears to endorse the theocratic and authoritarian doctrine of “sphere sovereignty” derived from the extremist faith of Christian Reconstruction. In the recordings, Hegseth attacked “cultural Marxism”, feminism, “critical race theory” and democracy, which he said “our founders openly rejected as completely dangerous”.

Senate Minority Leader Democrat Chuck Schumer gave a pointed floor speech highlighting the many allegations against Hegseth and asking Republicans to reject “one of the most erratic, unqualified and unfit Cabinets we’ve ever seen in modern times.”

“Is this man with a history of excessive drinking really the guy you want on the other end of the phone at?” Asked Schumer. “In short, we will not, do not, must not elevate someone as erratic as Pete Hegseth to the position of defense secretary. We can and must – do better. I urge my colleagues to vote no.”

Despite this harsh criticism, Hegseth is still favored to be confirmed. The final Senate vote on his nomination is expected to take place around 21 Friday evening.