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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Pete Hegseth's nomination to lead the Department of Defense cleared a procedural vote today. NPR's Deidre Walsh reports there's some Republican opposition, but it's not expected to derail him.
Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski announced she could not support Hegseth, citing his lack of experience and reports about excessive drinking and other inappropriate behavior that raised questions about his character. A second GOP senator, Susan Collins of Maine, also plans to vote no.
She raised doubt about him leading the large department and his previous comments about women serving in group combat roles. Hegseth backtracked on those, but Collins says she's not convinced his position has changed. Hegseth is not expected to get any support from Democrats, but he can afford to lose as many as three GOP votes. The final Senate vote is expected sometime on Friday.
And Hegseth appears likely to be confirmed as Secretary of Defense, mostly along party lines. Deirdre Walsh, NPR News, the Capitol.
President Trump's nominee to lead Veterans Affairs easily passed Senate committee today. Also, NPR's Quill Lawrence reports the vast majority of VA staff were exempted from federal hiring freeze.
Doug Collins, an Air Force Reserve colonel and former Georgia congressman, was endorsed by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee 18 to 1, almost guaranteeing he'll be the next Secretary of Veterans Affairs. During his confirmation hearing this week, he was pressed on whether President Trump's federal hiring freeze would apply to VA. He said he needed to study it.
In the meantime, doctors and nurses nationwide who thought they had VA job offers got the news their offers were rescinded. After two days of mixed messages, the administration has now exempted the majority of health care positions at VA from the hiring freeze. Senate Democrats have urged Trump to protect all VA staff positions from the freeze. Quill Lawrence, NPR News.
President Trump is calling on Saudi Arabia to lower oil prices, which he says could help bring an end to Russia's war in Ukraine. His remarks were from the White House and delivered by video to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. More from NPR's Deepa Shivram.
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