The Senate narrowly confirmed Pete Hegseth on Friday as secretary of Defense, a win for President Donald Trump's new administration after its 44-year-old nominee fended off allegations of sexual assault,

Newly-confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth received strong praise from President Trump and other Republicans following a nail-biting Senate vote Friday night that will see him take command of the Pentagon.

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be Defense secretary, gives a thumbs up while leaving after his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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.

President Trump’s pick to head the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, told senators at his confirmation hearing that recruitment has increased since Trump was elected president. He also said there will be a “recruiting renaissance” after Trump takes office and the Pentagon can rid itself of “woke” policies.

The vote came amid concerns about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid allegations of heavy drinking and abusive behavior toward women.

So far, three people have been confirmed to Trump’s Cabinet: former Sen. Marco Rubio as the secretary of state, John Ratcliffe as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency and Pete Hegseth as secretary of Defense.

President Donald Trump is pushing forward with his agenda in the busy opening days of his second term, with an immigration enforcement blitz targeting Chicago now underway. Follow for live updates.

Pete Hegseth was sworn into his new position as Secretary of Defense Saturday morning after being confirmed in a contentious Senate vote the night before.

Rarely has a Cabinet nominee faced such wide-ranging concerns about his experience and behavior as Hegseth, particularly for such a high-profile role leading the U.S. military.

At the White House, President Donald Trump said he was surprised that two senators have publicly said they'll vote against his nominee to lead the Defense Department.