US Senate confirms Pete Hegseth as Pentagon chief: what he said about Ukraine

The United States Senate (the upper house of Congress) has confirmed former military officer and Fox TV host Pete Hegseth as the country's Secretary of Defense. The vote took place on Friday, January 24.

The Republican majority had enough votes to confirm Hegseth as head of the Pentagon, the Guardian reports. It is noted that almost the entire Republican conference supported Pete Hegseth's candidacy, while all Senate Democrats voted against his confirmation, resulting in a 50-50 split.

Three Republican senators - Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska - opposed Gegseth's nomination. Collins and Murkowski previously cited concerns about his personal history and inexperience.

Vice President J.D. Vance cast the decisive vote in favor of Hegseth.

Pete Hegseth is a 44-year-old former Fox News host and former National Guard officer, who served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, and retired as a major. He has been a political commentator since 2014. His nomination was accompanied by a series of scandals and revelations. In particular, Hegseth is accused of sexual harassment, excessive alcohol consumption and financial fraud.

In addition, Hegseth's candidacy has raised concerns about his inexperience in politics and managing large organizations.

What Hegseth said about Ukraine

There are no statements about the war in Ukraine on Pete Hegseth's social media. In February 2022, at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he said on Fox News that the events in Ukraine were important. However, he quickly shifted the topic to problems within the United States.

"Ukraine is important, but it it pales in comparison to the crime I see in my streets, to the wokeness I see in my culture, to the inflation I see at my pocket book, to the real border I care about. On every single issue, the quality of life of average Americans has gone down," Hegseth said.

In the first weeks of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Hegseth called dictator Putin a war criminal who wants to restore the USSR, called for faster aid to Ukraine, and criticized former US President Joe Biden for his slow decisions.

He also criticized EU countries for being powerless and praised China for having a stable long-term vision.

Hegseth also spoke out against the US getting more involved in Russia's war against Ukraine. "If Ukraine can defend themselves... great, but I don’t want American intervention driving deep into Europe and making (Putin) feel like he’s so much on his heels," he said.

As reported, US President Donald Trump's decree to suspend international support for 90 days does not affect the programs of military assistance to Ukraine. The contracts signed by the Joe Biden administration for the production of weapons for our country remain in force.

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