The vote broke the Senate filibuster and sets up a final confirmation vote, which will likely take place Friday. Democrat John Fetterman voted against advancing Hegseth for secretary of defense.
The Senate on Thursday voted to advance Pete Hegseth's nomination to be President Donald Trump's defense secretary, putting him on a path to final confirmation at the end of the week.
The removal of a portrait of Gen. Mark A. Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, from a Pentagon hallway was among the president’s early actions.