Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm former Fox News personality Pete Hegseth as US secretary of defense – despite allegations of alcohol abuse, sexual misconduct and other concerns about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon.

Three Republican senators – Susan Collins, Mitch McConnell and Lisa Murkowski – voted against Hegseth, resulting in a 50-50 tie that required a sitting vice president to cast the deciding vote for a cabinet nominee for only the second time ever.

Trump talked up Hegseth moments before Vance cast the tiebreaking vote to confirm him.

"We have a great secretary of defense and we’re very happy," Trump said as he boarded Air Force One after surveying fire devastation in California. He said he didn’t care that McConnell voted against confirming him because the "important thing is winning."

McConnell blasted Hegseth, saying the nominee "did not reckon" with reality of job. After voting no for Hegseth, McConnell issued a scathing statement on his decision to go against one of Trump’s nominees.

"Mere desire to be a ‘change agent' is not enough to fill these shoes. And 'dust on boots' fails even to distinguish this nominee from multiple predecessors of the last decade," the Kentucky Republican said. "Nor is it a precondition for success. Secretaries with distinguished combat experience and time in the trenches have failed at the job."

McConnell went on to detail the various international crises plaguing the U.S. from the Indo-Pacific to Eastern Europe.

"In public comments and testimony before the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Hegseth did not reckon with this reality," he added.