After a few GOP senators, including McConnell, voted against Hegseth for defense secretary, the Senate narrowly voted to confirm him.

"McConnell spent his life creating this crisis...Only at the end does he find a conscience," political commentator Wajahat Ali wrote.

The procedural vote of 51-49 put the Fox News host on the path for approval Friday evening, after senators engage in 30 hours of debate. If McConnell would’ve voted “no,” it would’ve forced Vice President J.D. Vance to break a tie on the Senate floor.

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.

Vice President JD Vance was forced to step in after Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell broke ranks and voted against Hegseth.

Former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), who stepped down from the leadership at the end of last year, cast a surprise vote Friday night against Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s

Maine, breaks with party to vote against Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for Defense Secretary. Can he still get confirmed?

Pete Hegseth has vowed to bring his “warrior” ethos to the Pentagon. Democrats had assailed him as unfit for the job, and his confirmation came down to Vice President JD Vance serving as tiebreaker.

Donald Trump scored a big win in Washington and visited North Carolina, California and Nevada on first trip since beginning his second term.

Sen. Mitch McConnell accused new defense secretary Pete Hegseth of having "no substantial observations on how to defend Taiwan or the Philippines against a Chinese attack."

Vice President JD Vance was on hand to cast a tie-breaking vote, unusual in the Senate for Cabinet nominees, who typically win wider support.