Pete Hegseth, the controversial Republican nominee for United States Secretary of Defence, has been nominated by the U.S. Senate by the thinnest of margins. Hegseth was only confirmed when newly inaugurated Vice President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote for him after three Republican senators voted against his nomination.

A Princeton and Harvard-educated former combat veteran, Hegseth went on to make a career at Fox News, where he hosted a weekend show. Trump tapped him as the defense secretary to lead an organization with nearly 2.1 million service members, about 780,000 civilians and a budget of $850 billion.

Vice President Vance cast a tie-breaking vote as Hegseth overcame allegations of sexual assault, public drunkenness and questions of financial mismanagement to win Senate approval.

Combat veteran and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth has been confirmed by the US Senate as President Donald Trump's defence secretary Meanwhile, Trump has toured Los Angeles areas which were ravaged by fires, meeting with local authorities and first responders

Despite allegations of sexual assault, paying off an accuser, and drinking to incapacitation on the job, Pete Hegseth was confirmed as President Donald Trump's secreta

The US Senate has narrowly confirmed Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense after a split vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.

Pete Hegseth was confirmed as secretary of defense late Friday after a narrow 50-50 split in the Senate that required a tie-breaking vote from Vice