Senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitch McConnell voted against confirming Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary. To Capitol insiders, their decisions weren’t surprising.
President Trump on Friday said he wasn’t expecting Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) to vote against his controversial nominee for secretary of Defense: Army veteran and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth.
In the early days of President Donald Trump’s second term, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski had openly challenged or rebuked him at least three times
“WTF? Mitch McConnell immediately walked over and CELEBRATED with the Democrats after voting against Hegseth This man HAS TO GO in 2026. The people of Kentucky voted for Trump’s mandate—not this anti-Trump BS,” conservative commentator Nick Sortor said with a video showing the interaction.
Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky voted against President Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth.
The Trump administration needs to come up with a "McConnell strategy" if it doesn't want a full-on Republican revolt to stall the Trump agenda, according to CNN's Manu Raju. Last week, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) defied Trump by breaking with Republicans during the vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense.
Pete Hegseth was confirmed as the new defense secretary, narrowly surviving a betrayal by Mitch McConnell and his two RINO renegades.
Three Republicans voted with every Democrat against Trump’s controversial pick to lead the Pentagon, forcing Vance to step in and put Hegseth over the top.
Trump told reporters he was "surprised" Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins planned to vote against former Fox News host Pete Hegseth's nomination to lead the Defense Department.
A defining duo of the first Donald Trump administration is back.
Murkowski is a moderate with a history of bucking her party and Trump when she has felt it was the right thing to do.
Pete Hegseth was sworn in to lead the Department of Defense on Saturday, after a narrow vote in the Senate. The vote on Friday night was initially 50-50, with Vice President JD Vance then casting the tie-breaking vote.