In a dramatic late-night vote, the US Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as the new US Defense Secretary, but not without controversy. The Republican-led Senate saw a rare tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President JD Vance, marking an unusual event for Cabinet nominees, who typically receive broader support. The final vote was split at 50-50, with Vance's decisive vote pushing Hegseth's confirmation through, despite a cloud of allegations hanging over him.

Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, was nominated by President Donald Trump in November to lead the Department of Defense. While his nomination raised concerns among some Senate members, including Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who voted against him, the former TV host and military veteran denied all accusations that have plagued his confirmation process.

The most serious allegation against Hegseth comes from a 2017 incident in which a woman claimed that he sexually assaulted her in a California hotel room. The woman stated that Hegseth took her phone, blocked the door, and refused to let her leave. Hegseth has since denied the accusations, which have led to intense scrutiny during his confirmation hearings.

Despite the controversy, Hegseth is poised to take charge of the Pentagon, a massive organization with nearly 2.1 million service members, about 780,000 civilians, and an annual budget of USD 850 billion. He is expected to be busy in his initial days executing several of Trump's executive orders, some of which may involve military deployments, including a potential addition of forces to the US-Mexico border to continue the border wall construction.

While Hegseth has received significant backing from Republican lawmakers, including Vice President JD Vance, his tenure as Defense Secretary is likely to face intense scrutiny due to his troubled confirmation process. The Senate Armed Services Committee has already raised concerns over his past financial mismanagement, and while he has admitted to mistakes in his past, many are left questioning his readiness to lead the Department of Defense at such a critical juncture in US military affairs.

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