By The Senate has decided to delay the confirmation vote for Pete Hegseth, former Fox News host and Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, until after Inauguration Day. This decision leaves the Defense Department without a confirmed leader as Trump assumes the presidency, according to Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker.
Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi, told Politico that the vote will probably not occur until later next week, citing liberal “resistance” to expediting the process. He acknowledged that Democrats would likely use procedural rules to postpone the vote. Despite holding enough votes to confirm Hegseth, Republicans require Democratic cooperation to accelerate the proceedings. Democrats, however, have not publicly committed to any particular course of action, raising concerns about Hegseth’s qualifications and his contentious past. His nomination has been clouded by allegations of sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse, and financial mismanagement, all of which Hegseth denied during his confirmation hearing.
Leading Democratic voices, such as Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, have emphasized the need for further examination of Hegseth’s background. Reed noted that additional information would benefit both Democratic and Republican senators. Similarly, Senator Elizabeth Warren, who had a contentious exchange with Hegseth during his hearing, expressed doubts about the possibility of a quick resolution.
Democrats have criticized the confirmation process, pointing to limited access to Hegseth’s FBI background check and the absence of a second round of questioning. Wicker dismissed these concerns, rejecting calls for extended vetting. Hegseth’s minimal engagement with lawmakers before his hearing has added to the frustrations, with only Senator Reed managing to secure a meeting with him.
The delay is not without precedent. President Joe Biden’s Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, was confirmed two days after Biden’s inauguration in 2021. However, Republicans have argued that the current circumstances demand more urgency, citing national security concerns in light of recent attacks in cities like New Orleans and Las Vegas. Wicker has also emphasized that Hegseth already has sufficient support for confirmation, suggesting there is no need for further delays.
In the interim, uncertainty surrounds the leadership of the Pentagon. The Trump transition team has not clarified whether any officials from the outgoing administration will remain in temporary roles. If no appointments are made, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks is next in line for succession, followed by other senior officials within the department.
Appointed as the deputy secretary, Hicks recently told Defense Scoop about what she’s doing to prepare for Trump’s arrival at the White House.
Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks is poised to complete her tenure at the Pentagon under the Biden administration — and she’s been in direct contact with officials on President-elect Donald Trump’s Agency Review Team preparing for the upcoming transition, according to her top public affairs advisor Eric Pahon.
In responses to questions from DefenseScoop this week, Pahon discussed Hicks’ plans and priorities for her final days helping steer the Defense Department’s major technology programs.
“Deputy Secretary Hicks’ priorities today remain the same as they have been since her first day in office: Foremost, in support of the secretary and president, she is maintaining her focus on ensuring that DOD can outpace strategic competitors like the [People’s Republic of China] by fielding more combat-credible capabilities at greater speed and scale, continually iterating on novel operational concepts, distributing and hardening our force posture, and leveraging our unparalleled ability to generate innovation with and through America’s private sector,” he said.
“She is also maintaining a laser focus on financial accountability, strengthening the department’s institutional pillars, including by ensuring a smooth and professional transition, and taking care of the DOD workforce,” Pahon added.
This delay highlights the plan for Democrats to do everything they can to slow down Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. Earlier in the week, Kamala Harris staffers announced they intend to form a “resistance” group within the bureaucracy to undermine the Trump administration’s efforts to reform Washington.
In January 2024, Biden Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd disappeared for several days, hiding the fact that he was in a hospital, while American troops found themselves taking fire in the Middle East.
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