Pete Hegseth could be confirmed as the next secretary of defense, if he can maintain his current level of Senate support.
The Senate narrowly passed a cloture vote on Jan. 23, clearing President Donald Trump’s defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth, to proceed to a final confirmation vote.
Senators voted 51–49 to invoke cloture, ending debate on Hegseth’s nomination and allowing the body to move ahead to a final vote.
The nomination has faced opposition from senators questioning his views on women serving in combat roles.
Hegseth has offered mixed comments about women serving in combat roles. At some points, he has said he’s concerned about standards being lowered to accommodate more women in those roles. In a November interview on the “Shawn Ryan Show,” Hegseth said, “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles.”
Hegseth’s confirmation has also been clouded by allegations of excessive alcohol drinking, mismanagement of funds, and sexual assault. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) broke ranks with their fellow Republicans and urged against advancing Hegseth’s nomination.
“I commend Pete Hegseth’s service to our nation, including leading troops in combat and advocating for our veterans. However, these accomplishments do not alleviate my significant concerns regarding his nomination,” Murkowski said in a statement she posted to social media platform X before the vote.
Murkowski acknowledged Hegseth had revised his statements about women serving in combat during his confirmation process. She said she remains concerned about the message his confirmation would send to women currently serving in the military.
“While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do nothing to quiet my concerns, the past behaviors Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces,” Murkowski said.
In her statement explaining her vote, Collins noted her concerns about the allegations Hegseth mismanaged funds at the two veteran organizations.
Collins also said she was not convinced by Hegseth’s efforts to explain his views on women in combat.
“Currently, thousands of women are serving in combat roles and many others serve in non-combat functions. Their service is essential to the success of our military,” Collins said.
Despite the two lawmakers’ objections, Hegseth may become the next defense secretary if the final confirmation vote passes on the same margins as the cloture motion.
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) defended Hegseth in remarks following the cloture vote, insisting his detractors have aired false and unsubstantiated claims in an effort to derail his nomination.
“I urge my colleagues to see through this noise [and] evaluate Pete’s nomination based on the merits, which is why I plan to vote for Mr. Hegseth,” Haggerty said.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) joined Hagerty in urging the body to advance with the nomination. Tuberville expects the Senate could hold a final vote on Hegseth’s confirmation on the evening of Jan. 24.
Trump designated Robert Salesses to serve as the acting secretary of defense while Hegseth awaits his confirmation.