WASHINGTON – On Thursday, Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Pentagon, advanced significantly towards Senate confirmation, even with an 8-year-old rape allegation and concerns regarding his drinking habits, domestic disputes, and management issues.

The Senate’s approval with a vote of 51-49 officially sets the stage for a final confirmation vote expected by Friday night for Hegseth, who is 44 years old, aiming to take on the role of the nation’s top civilian military leader. Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined all Senate Democrats in opposing Hegseth, but their collective opposition was insufficient to block the nomination due to the simple majority requirement.

Right from the beginning, Hegseth’s road to the Defense Secretary position has been fraught with controversy. During his recent confirmation hearing, Democratic senators voiced skepticism regarding his past statements about women in the military and raised concerns over serious misconduct allegations.

The former host of Fox and Friends avoided directly addressing the 2017 rape allegation, which did not result in any charges, along with concerns about alleged workplace drinking and mismanagement, claiming he is the target of a coordinated smear campaign.

On Thursday, Hegseth’s former sister-in-law provided the Senate Armed Services Committee with a signed statement describing how he had purportedly threatened his ex-wife, causing her to hide in a closet, made negative remarks about women, Muslims, and Mexican-Americans, and engaged in excessive drinking that led to him passing out and vomiting.

In one troubling incident, Hegseth was reportedly removed from a Minneapolis strip club while in uniform after receiving a lap dance.

Hegseth’s attorney, Timothy Parlatore, firmly rejected these allegations, asserting that Hegseth’s ex-wife has claimed in legal documents that there was no physical abuse during their marriage.

Recently, she reportedly provided a new statement to the FBI concerning Hegseth’s drinking problems, as reported by CNN.

Senators Roger Wicker and Jack Reed, the committee’s Republican chairman and leading Democratic member, were informed about the statement just two days after Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, according to sources.

Reed commented that the FBI report was “true and accurate,” noting that “the FBI has never needed to provide multiple briefings on a Defense Secretary nominee” during his tenure in the Senate.

Conversely, Wicker dismissed the claims as “starkly and factually inaccurate,” claiming they do not withstand scrutiny and unfairly tarnish Hegseth’s character.

Following recent revelations, Senate Democrats insisted that Hegseth meet privately with every committee member ahead of the final vote. “It would be irresponsible and against our constitutional duty to proceed with this nomination without such a meeting,” they stated in a Wednesday announcement.

Just before casting her vote against Hegseth on Thursday, Murkowski shared her thoughts on X, expressing, “After thorough evaluation, I must conclude that I cannot in good conscience support his nomination for Secretary of Defense.”

“While the allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking do not alleviate my concerns, the past behaviors that Mr. Hegseth has admitted to, including numerous instances of infidelity, reveal a lack of judgment unworthy of the individual leading our armed forces,” Murkowski elaborated.

Additionally, Murkowski noted concerns regarding Hegseth’s inexperience and previous opposition to women serving in combat. After her vote, she told reporters she felt “absolutely at peace” with her decision.

Hegseth presents himself as a reformist ready to transform the military

Hegseth, a veteran and former Fox News personality, spent his time as a conservative media figure criticizing the military’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, reflecting Trump’s position against such programs in government.

During his confirmation hearing, Hegseth portrayed himself as an agent of change, committed to reforming a military hindered by “woke” policies and bureaucracy. He acknowledged that he had managed only a small team in the past, which is a stark contrast to the Pentagon’s oversight of 3 million troops and civilians along with an $850 billion budget.

Democratic committee members focused on allegations against Hegseth involving public intoxication, financial mismanagement of veteran nonprofit organizations he led, and the 2017 claim of sexual assault associated with alcohol. Hegseth later compensated the accuser to remain silent, arguing that the unfounded allegation could harm his position at Fox News.

Democrats highlighted this assault as part of a troubling pattern concerning Hegseth’s behavior towards women. Following the incident, Hegseth’s mother, Penelope, sent him an email labeling him “an abuser of women” and expressed her disapproval of men who belittle, lie, cheat, and exploit women for personal gain, as reported by the New York Times. However, after Trump’s nomination, she recanted her statements on Fox News.

Republicans on the committee, many of whom shared Hegseth’s criticisms of Pentagon leadership, contended that the allegations were baseless “smears” and argued that Hegseth has changed since his past indiscretions and drinking habits.

Senator Wicker expressed that Hegseth’s prior lack of experience could actually prove beneficial for the role, stating, “I believe he has a wealth of knowledge – and frankly, we need to shake things up in the Pentagon.”

Nevertheless, Democrats were unconvinced, asserting that Hegseth lacked the necessary qualifications to lead the military.

“He emphasized during much of the hearing that he does not want to diminish standards for anyone, be it women or minorities. Yet, the entire hearing seemed centered around him asking to lower those very standards to enable him to perform his duties,” stated Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-IL, to YSL News.

Additionally, they criticized Hegseth for his past comments against women in combat roles. Just prior to his nomination, he stated during a podcast interview, “I’m straightforwardly saying we should not have women in combat roles,” only to backtrack these remarks leading up to the hearing.

After a friendly exchange during the hearing, Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a military veteran, announced her support for his confirmation, alleviating concerns that she might oppose him.

In the interim period before a new Defense Secretary is appointed, Trump assigned Robert Salesses, a retired Marine Corps officer, to fulfill the responsibilities of the role.

Savannah Kuchar and Sudiksha Kochi contributed to this report.