The Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday favorably reported, 14-13, the nomination of Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s pick to run the Defense Department, on a party-line vote that will likely spell partisan opposition for Hegseth in the days ahead.

There is no evidence that Pete Hegseth would be capable of managing the Pentagon behemoth.

Robert Salesses will serve as the acting defense secretart until President Donald Trump's nominee, Pete Hegseth, gets confirmed by the Senate.

Senators voted 51-49 to advance Hegseth's defense secretary bid, which has been mired in several controversies. Two Republicans oppose him.

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.

As Hegseth’s hearing proceeded before the Senate Armed Services Committee, there was an air of unreality to the nominee’s performance. Moreover, the committee’s Republican majority seemed to have little appreciation for the gravity of decisions required of the defense secretary.

A cloud of controversy has hung over Hegseth, but he now appears to be on track to be confirmed as Trump's defense secretary.

Robert Salesses will serve as President Donald Trump’s acting defense secretary as the nomination of Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department lingers in the Senate.

The Pentagon on Monday swore in Robert G. Salesses as the acting secretary of Defense while President Trump’s nominee Pete Hegseth awaits Senate confirmation. Salesses was sworn in just after noon, according to a Defense official.

U.S. Senate Republicans on Thursday advanced the nomination of veteran and onetime Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the nation’s military, despite numerous allegations of alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct,

Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon, cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate on Thursday to advance his nomination.

Hegseth’s nomination: Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, survived a crucial procedural vote that moved his bid to the full Senate. Fifty-one Republicans supported advancing his nomination; Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joined Democrats in opposition. A final vote is expected Friday evening. Read more ›