Republican senator to oppose nomination of Pete Hegseth as defense secretary
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Lisa Murkowski of Alaska becomes first GOP lawmaker to publicly reject a Trump cabinet pick, hurting his chances. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced that she would oppose the nomination of Pete Hegseth to become the next US secretary of defense, making her the first Republican lawmaker to publicly reject one of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks and raising fresh doubts about the controversial nominee’s chances of confirmation.
Murkowski indicated her opposition to Hegseth in a statement shared on social media on Thursday, in which she criticized the Fox News host and army veteran as lacking the experience and character needed to lead the Pentagon. “After thorough evaluation, I must conclude that I cannot in good conscience support his nomination for Secretary of Defense,” Murkowski wrote. “I commend Pete Hegseth’s service to our nation, including leading troops in combat and advocating for our veterans. However, these accomplishments do not alleviate my significant concerns regarding his nomination.”.
Given Republicans’ 53-47 advantage in the Senate, Hegseth can only afford to lose three of their votes, assuming every Democratic senator opposes his nomination. The Senate will hold a procedural vote on Hegseth’s nomination on Thursday afternoon, which may provide crucial insight into his chances of confirmation.
Murkowski’s announcement comes one week after Hegseth’s contentious hearing before the Senate armed services committee, where Democrats grilled the nominee on allegations of sexual assault, excessive alcohol use and financial mismanagement of two non-profits that he oversaw.
