Pete Hegseth’s confirmation as Secretary of Defense may end up in a tie vote and it seems the usual so-called Republicans could be the cause as they stand poised to oppose his nomination.

Senators Mitch McConnell (KY), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Susan Collins (ME) may stand against President Donald Trump’s secretary of defense nominee, according to Fox News reporter Chad Pergram who noted that the resulting tie vote would require Vice President JD Vance to step in.

Fox is told 3 GOP senators (MCCONNELL, COLLINS, MURKOWSKI) could oppose Pete HEGSETH for Defense Sec, forcing VP VANCE to break the tie in a late Friday night vote.
-Per @ChadPergram

— Aishah Hasnie (@aishahhasnie) January 22, 2025

Pergram reported that Hegseth’s final confirmation “could come late Friday night or early Saturday morning” but all eyes are on the RINOs who may move to vote no on the decorated veteran and former Fox News morning show host.

This comes as a last-minute affidavit was submitted to senators from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law that alleged “instances of abuse” and “mistreatment of a former spouse,” in reference to his ex-wife Samantha.

Fox has learned that unless there is a time agreement to accelerate debate on nominees, it is possible that the confirmation vote on Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth could come late Friday night or in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

The key is when the Senate confirms…

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 22, 2025

“I’ve heard from others that pertinent information has not been included, and that is troubling,” Sen. Collins told reporters Wednesday, according to The Hill. “When you’re making a decision about a nominee, you want to have as complete a picture as possible.”

Collins reportedly noted that she had not reviewed the FBI background check on Hegseth since she is not a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. After meeting with him in December, the Maine lawmaker had said, “I pressed him on both his position on military issues as well as the allegations against him. I don’t think there was anything that we did not cover.”

Murkowski, meanwhile, said she is “troubled” by the nomination and seemed to indicate the latest affidavit would factor into her decision.

“I factor all that I have received, whether in person or in follow-on conversations,” she said. “I factor all that into my calculus when I make these decisions.”

McConnell has essentially remained mum on his decision-making.

“I don’t have any announcements to make,” Mitch McConnell to me on whether he’ll back Pete Hegseth

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 22, 2025

The Committee Ranking Member Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) said in a statement regarding the latest smear effort, “I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this sworn affidavit confirms that fact.”

Hegseth has maintained his innocence and denied the allegations in Danielle Hegseth’s affidavit.

Meanwhile, Samantha Hegseth spoke out on the allegations in a statement to NBC News.

“There was no physical abuse in my marriage. This is the only further statement I will make to you, I have let you know that I am not speaking and will not speak on my marriage to Pete. Please respect this decision,” she said.

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said the latest allegations against Hegseth seemed like a “stretch.”

“I think it’s a stretch. I think it looks desperate. I think it probably helps Pete a little bit if the best they can do is not even the sister of the ex-wife, but the ex-wife of a brother,” said the member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, according to The Hill.

“Third-party, hearsay — all the while it’s not validated by the actual ex-wife. It looks like everything else up to this point: like a smear campaign,” Cramer added.

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Frieda Powers

Senior Staff Writer
Frieda@bizpacreview.com

Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.

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