New US Defence Secretary Vows

Mr. Hegseth took his oath before Vice President JD Vance at the executive building Eisenhower, with his wife Jennifer Rauchet surrounded by Republican senators. The ceremony was held after less than 12 hours that Vice President Vance cast the crucial vote in the Senate to break the 50-50 draw in the vote to confirm Mr. Hegseth.

In his short speech, Mr. Hegseth presented what he said would be the principles that would guide him in his work: “the restoration of the fighting spirit into everything we do, the rebuilding of the army, and the restoration of preventative power”.

We don't want wars, we want to prevent them... and we want to end them with accountability. But if we have to fight, we will make it extraordinary and determined we will destroy the enemy and bring our sons back home”, he said.

Mr. Hegseth thanked President Trump for his support and vowed that, as Secretary of Defence, he would focus on the first “U.S. deployment and the rebuilding of the American Army.

In a message sent to American military personnel via E-mail, Mr. Hegseth wrote that “will continue to be the most powerful and deadly force in the world”, in particular citing the need “to prevent aggression by communist China in the Indo-Peace region... as well as to be reoriated towards major risks. We will be side by side with the allies and our enemies have received the message”, he said.

Adoption in the Senate

Pete Hegseth was approved after a 50-50 vote in the Senate, thanks to the vote of JD Vice President Vance, who is cast to break a draw in the vote. Three republican senators voted against Mr. Hegseth's candidacy for the post of Secretary of Defense.

Pete Hegseth was approved after a 50-50 vote in the Senate, thanks to the vote of JD Vice President Vance, who is cast to break a draw in the vote. Three republican senators voted against Mr. Hegseth's candidacy for the post of Secretary of Defense.

This was the second time in history that a cabinet member candidate needed the vice president's intervention to confirm.

“Pete Hegseth is ready to implement President Donald Trump's programme and I believe he will be a change agent in the Department of Defence and that he is the person we need”, Republican Senator Roger Wuecker said.

“Z. Hegseth knows the weaknesses of the Department of Defense. He is also committed to ensuring the protection of the beacons, those who will tell of cases of abuse and abuse, which have been countless within the “department, Republican Senator Chuck Grasley said.

The three republican senators who joined the votes with the Democrats by voting against Mr. Hegseth were senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitch McConnell, who was the leader of the Republicans in the Senate until the beginning of this month.

Mr. McConnell said Mr. Hegseth had not demonstrated that he had the ability to effectively manage an organization as large and complex as the military. The desire to be a “change” is not enough to take that role”, Senator McConnell said in a statement.

Mr. Hegseth, a former reporter of the Fox News TV channel and a former military medalised medalist, has pledged to make major changes at the Pentagon.

The Democrats in the Senate raised a series of questions about the qualifications, temperament and his views on the role of military women in the battlefield.

“There are hundreds more without the personal baggage of accusations of sexual abuse, marital abuse, which are not accused of coming to work or abuse that are the subject of a very broad report written by non-anonym co-workers“, Democrat Senator Tim Caine said.

Mr. Hegseth is a candidate who has caused more debate to achieve the highest post at the helm of the American Armed Forces.

“Z. Hegseth has not shown the proper judgment to be secretary of defence. Mr. Hegseth has not shown the character of being secretary of defence, because this job is a big responsibility and he is not the right person for this task”, Democrat Senator Adam Schiff said.

Secretary Hegseth will already lead 1.3 million active military men and about 1 million civilians working for the United States armed forces, with an annual budget of about $1 trillion. / VOA/