Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky voted against President Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth.

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.

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

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.

The US Senate on Friday approved Pete Hegseth as President Donald Trump’s defense secretary by a razor-thin margin, in which, Vice President JD Vance had to cast the tie-breaking vote.

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

McConnell joined Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, moderates from Maine and Alaska respectively, in creating what would have been a tie had Vice President JD Vance not broken it, in his first such vote as President of the Senate.

WASHINGTON – Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell was one of three Republicans voting against the confirmation of Pete Hegseth on Friday to be secretary of Defense, though his appointment was approved by the narrowest of margins.

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.

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