Pete Hegseth was confirmed as the 29th Secretary of Defense on January 24, 2025, and sworn into office the following day after a tie-breaking vote by Vice President JD Vance. Since taking office, he has defended his staff against accusations of antisemitism from the Congressional Jewish Caucus while framing his leadership as a crusade against anti-Jewish bias in academic and military institutions. Regarding the 2017 Charlottesville protests, Hegseth has faced criticism for downplaying the role of white supremacists and neo-Nazis, suggesting that media coverage overblown the situation and overlooked “fine people” who were simply protesting for historical preservation.