defense secretary

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>

Pete Hegseth Confirmed as Defense Secretary

Senate clears him in dramatic 51-50 vote, with VP Vance casting the tie-breaker

(Newser) - The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as the nation's defense secretary Friday in a dramatic late-night vote, swatting back questions about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid allegations of heavy drinking and aggressive behavior toward women, per the AP . Vice President JD Vance had to cast the tie-breaking vote,...

Ahead of Friday Vote, Hegseth's Odds Look Strong

Senate expected to confirm him as the next defense secretary

(Newser) - Barring a last-minute surprise, it looks like Pete Hegseth will be the next defense secretary after all. The Senate is on track to vote on his confirmation Friday evening, and the former Fox host appears to have the support he needs, reports the New York Times .
  • Republicans were able to
...

2 Republicans Oppose Hegseth Nomination

Final confirmation vote is expected Friday or Saturday

(Newser) - Pete Hegseth cleared a key Senate vote to advance his nomination Thursday, but it was a near thing—two Republican senators joined Democrats in voting against him, making it 51 to 49. A final vote on confirming Hegseth as defense secretary is expected late Friday or early Saturday, ABC News...

Watchdog: Austin Needlessly Risked National Security

Defense secretary kept hospitalizations secret from White House, top defense officials

(Newser) - The Pentagon's internal watchdog says Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin "unnecessarily" increased risks to national security by keeping his illness and hospitalizations secret in late 2023 and early 2024. In a report released after a yearlong investigation , the office of the Pentagon's inspector general criticized Austin and his...

5 Takeaways From the Hegseth Hearing

Joni Ernst, considered a key Republican vote, says he has her support

(Newser) - Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's nominee for defense secretary, was grilled by members of the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday about issues including his views on women in combat. Some takeaways from the often testy confirmation hearing:
  • He probably has enough votes. "None of his answers seemed to disturb
...

'I Do Not Believe That You Are Qualified'

Pete Hegseth, defense nominee grilled at Senate hearing, cites a 'smear campaign' against him

(Newser) - Pete Hegseth was getting grilled on Capitol Hill Tuesday in his confirmation hearing to be the next defense secretary. At the same time, the former Fox host defended himself against what he calls a "smear campaign" by the media. Some early highlights:
  • Critic: "I do not believe that
...

Hegseth: I'll Restore 'Warrior Ethos' to Pentagon
Hegseth: I'll Restore
'Warrior Ethos' to Pentagon
the rundown
Jan 14, 2025 6:34 AM CST

Hegseth: I'll Restore 'Warrior Ethos' to Pentagon

Confirmation hearings begin Tuesday for controversial nominee

(Newser) - The confirmation hearing for one of the highest-profile of President-elect Trump's nominees gets underway in DC on Tuesday—former Fox host Pete Hegseth, who may become the next defense secretary.
  • 'Warrior ethos:' The 44-year-old Army vet will promise to restore "the warrior ethos to the Pentagon"
...

Graham: Hegseth to Free Accuser From NDA

SC senator says he's a tentative 'yes' on ex-Fox News host leading DOD, despite sex assault claim

(Newser) - Pete Hegseth's path to becoming secretary of defense has seen multiple obstacles, including a 2017 sexual assault allegation and an unflattering email from his own mother . On the latter, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham says Hegseth is ready to make a big move—releasing his accuser in that case from...

Pete Hegseth's Chances Have Suddenly Improved
How Pete Hegseth's Chances
Have Suddenly Improved
the rundown
Dec 10, 2024 6:54 AM CST

How Pete Hegseth's Chances Have Suddenly Improved

Skeptical GOP senator, Joni Ernst, signals support after fierce backlash

(Newser) - A week ago, it seemed that Pete Hegseth's chances of becoming the next defense secretary were doomed, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis floated as a possible replacement . Things look much different now, however, after what Punchbowl News describes as a "vibe shift" on Capitol Hill in favor of...

Pete Hegseth Says He's 'Not Going Anywhere'

He vows to abstain from alcohol as defense secretary to woo hesitant senators

(Newser) - "We're not going anywhere," Pete Hegseth told reporters Wednesday as he tried to convince lawmakers to back his bid to become defense secretary. "I spoke to the president this morning, he supports me fully," said the former Fox News host. President-elect Trump is reportedly considering...

Report: Hegseth's Fox Colleagues Worried About His Drinking

Co-workers anonymously describe behavior they found concerning

(Newser) - Pete Hegseth was hit with another controversial report Tuesday. Ten current and former Fox News employees tell NBC News that during Hegseth's tenure as a co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend—which started in 2017 and ended after President-elect Trump announced Hegseth as his choice to lead the Defense...

Senators Back Hegseth as Another Controversy Is Revealed

Member of Trump's inner circle was apparently no fan of Hegseth's years back

(Newser) - The controversy around Pete Hegseth is growing. Sources tell CBS News that back in 2016, allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual misconduct, a toxic workplace environment, and alcohol problems including public intoxication led to a group of Republicans pushing to remove Hegseth as head of a charity for veterans. Hegseth started...

Email to Pete Hegseth From His Mom Is Raising Eyebrows

Penelope Hegseth is now disavowing her 2018 letter in which she accused him of abusing women

(Newser) - "The family dynamics of Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, have burst out into the open," reports the Guardian , after a six-year-old email to him from his own mother was leaked to the media. The New York Times got its hands on the 2018...

Controversy Over Defense Pick Caught Trump Team Off Guard

But president-elect backs pick for defense amid allegations of sexual assault, reports NYT

(Newser) - Donald Trump has made clear to aides that he's sticking with Fox host Pete Hegseth as his pick for defense secretary amid allegations of a sexual assault , reports the New York Times . The newspaper's Maggie Haberman reports that Trump spoke with Hegseth a few days ago, after the...

Defense Chief Pick Not a Fan of Women in Combat
Potential Defense Chief:
No Women in Combat
the rundown
Nov 14, 2024 10:55 AM CST

Potential Defense Chief: No Women in Combat

It's not clear if Pete Hegseth would attempt to reverse Pentagon rule

(Newser) - "I'm straight up just saying that we should not have women in combat roles," Fox News host Pete Hegseth declared on a recent podcast. The reason his view is gaining attention, of course, is because Hegseth is President-elect Trump's choice to be the next defense secretary...

As Mideast Tensions Spike, US Sends in Extra Firepower

Guided-missile sub, USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier are en route

(Newser) - US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered a guided-missile submarine to the Middle East and is telling the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to sail more quickly to the area, the Defense Department said Sunday. The moves come as the US and other allies push for Israel and...

Defense Chief Undergoes Another Medical Procedure

Lloyd Austin has already resumed duties after Friday procedure for ongoing bladder issues

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin underwent a medical procedure at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Friday evening and has resumed duties after temporarily transferring power to his deputy, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement. Austin is continuing to deal with bladder issues that arose in...

Defense Secretary Austin Discharged From Hospital

Pentagon says he has resumed full duties but will be working from home for a few days

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Tuesday, ending his second stay since surgery to treat prostate cancer, and he has resumed his full duties, the Pentagon said. Austin, 70, has had ongoing health issues since undergoing surgery in December. He was taken...

Defense Chief Offers Public Mea Culpa
Defense Chief Admits
His Mistake
Feb 1, 2024 11:39 AM CST

Defense Chief Admits His Mistake

'I should have told the president about my cancer,' says Lloyd Austin

(Newser) - Defense chief Lloyd Austin swears he's learned his lesson. In his first press conference since a hospital stay he kept secret , Austin issued a mea culpa for not being more forthcoming:
  • '"I want to be crystal clear: We did not handle this right. I did not handle this
...

Special Request in Lloyd Austin's 911 Call: Be 'Subtle'
911 Call for
Lloyd Austin
Is Out
Jan 17, 2024 7:21 AM CST

911 Call for Lloyd Austin Is Out

Aide asked for ambulance heading to defense secretary's home to be 'subtle' about it

(Newser) - Lloyd Austin was released from Walter Reed hospital on Monday, two weeks after being secretly admitted for complications following surgery for prostate cancer. Now, audio is out of the call requesting an ambulance be sent to the defense secretary's Virginia home on New Year's Day, with a special...

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>