{"id":2395021,"date":"2025-01-24T23:56:02","date_gmt":"2025-01-25T04:56:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mcconnell-says-national-security-threats-pushed-him-to-vote-no-on-hegseth-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-01-24T23:57:01","modified_gmt":"2025-01-25T04:57:01","slug":"mcconnell-says-national-security-threats-pushed-him-to-vote-no-on-hegseth-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mcconnell-says-national-security-threats-pushed-him-to-vote-no-on-hegseth-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"McConnell says national security threats pushed him to vote \u2018no\u2019 on Hegseth &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmcconnell-says-national-security-threats-pushed-him-to-vote-no-on-hegseth-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2395021&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) recently voted against the confirmation\u200c of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, citing concerns over Hegseth&#8217;s qualifications to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">handle national security threats facing<\/a> the United States. in a \u2064detailed statement, McConnell expressed \u200chis belief that the Secretary of Defense is the most crucial cabinet position, especially given the\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nyc-mayor-eric-adams-says-increased-subway-security-is-the-new-norm\/\" title=\"NYC Mayor Eric Adams declares heightened subway security as the standard going forward\">current security landscape<\/a>, which he \u200ddeems the most perilous as World War II. He stated that Hegseth failed to demonstrate \u2063the necessary capability\u200b to \u2063manage the large military and civilian workforce and a \u200bample \u200cbudget. McConnell \u2063criticized \u2063Hegseth for lacking the \u200cdepth of understanding\u2063 and preparedness\u200d required to\u2062 face coordinated\u200d threats from adversarial nations such as \u200bRussia and China.alongside\u2062 Senators \u2062Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, McConnell&#8217;s opposition contributed to \u200da tied \u200bvote, which \u2062prompted Vice President JD Vance to cast\u2062 the tie-breaking vote. Despite his\u2063 vote,McConnell \u200bwished hegseth success in his \u2064role.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">McConnell says national security threats pushed him to vote &lsquo;no&rsquo; on Hegseth<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1949832\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Sen.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mitch-mcconnell\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> Mitch McConnell<\/a> (R-KY) voted not to confirm <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pete-hegseth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Pete Hegseth<\/a> as secretary for Department of Defense because he isn&rsquo;t confident he is prepared to safeguard the country&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congressional-war-vets-warn-biden-against-shuttering-gitmo\/\" title=\"Congressional War Vets Warn Biden Against Shuttering Gitmo\">national security interests<\/a>. <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>In a lengthy, and at times scathing, statement Friday night, McConnell explained his reasoning for shocking Republicans and leveling his most official rebuke of President Donald Trump yet by rejecting his nominee to lead the Pentagon. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The most consequential cabinet official in any Administration is the Secretary of Defense,&rdquo; McConnell said. &ldquo;In the face of the gravest threats to U.S. national security interests since World War II, this position is even more important today.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Given the importance and difficulty of the job, McConnell said he wasn&rsquo;t convinced that Hegseth had proved himself to be up to the task of following in the footsteps of men such as George Marshall, Caspar Weinberger, or Robert Gates.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Mere desire to be a &lsquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-hope-aggressive-harris-strategy-isnt-too-little-too-late-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Democrats hope &#039;aggressive&#039; Harris strategy isn&#039;t too little, too late - Washington Examiner\">change agent&#038;rsquo<\/a>; is not enough to fill these shoes,&rdquo; McConnell <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AndrewDesiderio\/status\/1882983950798238199\/photo\/1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">said<\/a>. &ldquo;And &lsquo;dust on boots&rsquo; fails even to distinguish this nominee from multiple predecessors of the last decade. Nor is it a precondition for success.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>McConnell said Hegseth &ldquo;failed&rdquo; to show he was capable of managing 3 million military and civilian a $1 trillion budget.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Mr. Hegseth has failed, as yet, to demonstrate that he will pass this test,&rdquo; McConnell wrote. &ldquo;But as he assumes office, the consequences of failure are as high as they have ever been.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>McConnell was a regular critic of former President Joe Biden&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-says-hes-open-to-ending-filibuster-for-voting-rights-and-maybe-more\/\" title=\"Biden Says He\u2019s Open To Ending Filibuster For Voting Rights \u2018And Maybe More\u2019\">foreign policy plans<\/a> that led to the United States&rsquo;s pseudo involvement in the war between Ukraine and Russia. While U.S. troops have not been deployed to fight in Ukraine, the country has spent vast resources arming Ukraine in its fight &mdash; one that arguably broke out as a result of Russia viewing America as withdrawing from the world stage following its disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. <\/p>\n<p>As Russia continues to try to prop itself up on the world stage it is leaning heavily on China for assistance. The two drawing closer together poses a threat to the U.S., and McConnell was skeptical Hegseth is prepared to harness America&rsquo;s military to confront that challenge. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The United States faces coordinated aggression from adversaries bent on shattering the order underpinning American security and prosperity,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;In public comments and testimony before the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Hegseth did not reckon with this reality.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>McConnell was joined by Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in opposing Hegseth on the final vote &mdash; prompting Vice President JD Vance to deliver the tie breaking vote.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>None the less, McConnell wished Hegseth success.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I wish Secretary Hegseth great success, and I look forward to working closely with him to restore American hard power,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Every member of the uniformed services will be looking to him for decisive, principled, and nonpartisan leadership.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1949832\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1949832\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>McConnell cites national security concerns in Hegseth vote<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2542,"featured_media":2395022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP22095721571052.jpg.optimal.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[45173,5194,23344,4474,32076],"class_list":["post-2395021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-hegseth","tag-mcconnell","tag-national-security","tag-vote","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP22095721571052.jpg.optimal.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2395021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2542"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2395021"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2395021\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2395025,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2395021\/revisions\/2395025"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2395022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2395021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2395021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2395021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}