Republicans react to Pete Hegseth's confirmation as defense secretary: 'He is the change agent'

Republican lawmakers celebrated aft the Senate narrowly confirmed Pete Hegseth arsenic defence caput connected Friday.

The Senate was divided 50-50, with 3 Republicans — Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. — joining the Democrats successful opposing Hegseth's confirmation, forcing Vice President JD Vance to formed the tie-breaking vote.

After Hegseth was confirmed, GOP lawmakers praised him arsenic a "change agent" who has a "passion for the warfighter."

"Pete has served successful the Army National Guard arsenic a beforehand enactment officer, and helium has a keen intellect and a passionateness for the warfighter," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., wrote connected the societal media level X.

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"He did an fantabulous occupation during a precise contentious proceeding and withstood each the attacks that came his way," Graham added. "He is bullish connected creating a larger, much lethal subject and is clear-eyed astir America’s enemies, including Iran. Israel volition person nary amended person than Pete Hegseth."

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said helium was "proud to ballot to corroborate Pete Hegseth arsenic Secretary of Defense."

"He is the alteration cause that the DOD desperately needs," Cruz said.

Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin said: "We did it, America."

"It was an grant to beryllium successful the combat with my friend, and your SecDef: @PeteHegseth," helium wrote. "The Hegseth household is the best!!"

"Heck yeah! @PeteHegseth is the antheral for the job," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said. "I’m honored to person voted for him. We conscionable confirmed him arsenic the adjacent defence secretary."

Sen. Roger Marshall wrote: "Congratulations to @PeteHegseth, our caller Secretary of Defense! Pete volition bring transformative change, refocusing our subject connected lethality and recruiting efforts. I can’t hold to spot what a large occupation helium volition do."

"Pete Hegseth is the cleanable acceptable to marque our subject large again and execute bid done strength," Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., wrote. "It was an grant to enactment his nomination, and I look guardant to seeing him reconstruct spot successful the Department of Defense by prioritizing warfare fighters implicit bureaucrats."

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., congratulated Hegseth connected his confirmation and said that "Every brave work subordinate and each American is safer with you starring the Pentagon. American spot is BACK!"

"Congratulations to our NEW caput of defense," Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said.

Democrats, meanwhile, questioned Hegseth's credentials to lead the Pentagon up of his confirmation.

"Is Pete Hegseth—who failed to negociate the finances of veterans’ nonprofit groups, who drove his organizations into indebtedness to the constituent wherever helium could not adjacent wage creditors—really the idiosyncratic Republicans privation successful complaint of the Pentagon’s budget?" Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote connected X earlier the vote.

Schumer besides asked: "Is Pete Hegseth truly the champion Republicans person to pb the top subject successful the world?"

"Our troops merit amended than idiosyncratic arsenic erratic and unqualified arsenic Pete Hegseth," helium added.

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said: "We merit a Secretary of Defense with coagulated experience, dependable judgment, and bully character. Pete Hegseth does not conscionable the test."

Hegseth, a erstwhile Fox News host, had faced questions up of his confirmation implicit his infidelity, allegations of intersexual battle and excessive drinking, his erstwhile comments opposing women serving successful combat roles successful the military and his enactment abilities.

Married 3 times, Hegseth has admitted helium was a "serial cheater" earlier helium became a Christian and joined his existent wife, Jenny. He besides primitively said helium opposed women successful combat, earlier aboriginal saying that helium lone opposes standards for women successful combat that are antithetic from those for men. Hegseth has additionally denied the intersexual battle allegations and has said helium would abstain from intoxicant arsenic defence secretary.