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

“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.

Pete Hegseth was confirmed after Vice President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote in support of his nomination. See how your senators voted.

Pete Hegseth was confirmed as the new defense secretary, narrowly surviving a betrayal by Mitch McConnell and his two RINO renegades.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski is opposing the nomination of Pete Hegseth to be President Donald Trump's Defense secretary.

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

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.

"So that's the two senators that are out. Mitch McConnell is in as is all as are all the other senators in the conference." The post ‘Mitch McConnell Is In’: Fox News Reports On Ex-Host Pete Hegseth Clearing Key Vote Ahead of Likely Confirmation first appeared on Mediaite.

Even as handicappers adjudged Pete Hegseth ’s confirmation as secretary of Defense to be all but certain, not one but two Republican senators indicated a hard pass on the poorly qualified bad boy from Fox News.

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.