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

Sen. Mitch McConnell was one of three Republicans to vote against Pete Hegseth, who was narrowly confirmed as President Donald Trump's defense secretary.

On Friday night, Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell strode onto the Senate floor and, without a moment’s hesitation, voted against the Republican president’s nominee for secretary of defense. The vote marked the hard launch of a new, unburdened, and final chapter in McConnell’s 40-year Senate career.

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.

Mitch McConnell's last-minute rebellion forced JD Vance to return to the Senate and sets up a tense future as three Republicans defy Trump.

Mitch McConnell said he doesn't think Pete Hegseth has passed the test proving he is capable of helping the military stand up to China and Russia.

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

Donald Trump nominee Pete Hegseth — despite being inundated with controversy — was narrowly confirmed as defense secretary in the U.S. Senate. The vote was extremely close. In contrast to Secretary of State Marco Rubio — who enjoyed strong bipartisan support in a confirmation vote — Hegseth was universally opposed by

With his confirmation at stake, Pete Hegseth is working the phones ahead of a Senate vote to shore up support to become the nation’s defense secretary.

As the dust settles on the fight over Pete Hegseth's nomination, his confirmation is emblematic of a larger truth about the state of Republican politics.