Senate confirms Trump nominee Hegseth as defense secretary

WASHINGTON — The US Senate narrowly confirmed former Fox News host and combat veteran Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, handing President Donald Trump a major political win as his second term in power takes shape.

Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate after three Republicans voted against Hegseth's appointment.

Hegseth, a Minnesota native who was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, was one of Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks.

The success of his nomination had been in doubt due to a steady drip of claims about his personal life, including allegations of excessive alcohol consumption and spousal abuse. He was accused by a woman of sexual assault in 2017.

Hegseth has denied all of the allegations. During his confirmation hearing last week, he called them a "coordinated smear campaign" by the media.

Apart from an unsuccessful bid for a US Senate seat in Minnesota in 2012, he has no political experience. Nor has he ever led an organization anywhere near the size of the US Defense Department, which has more than 3 million employees and is famous for its bureaucratic complexity.

Hegseth was mainly known from his time at the Trump-friendly channel Fox News, where he co-hosted a weekend morning show.