History repeated itself this week as Pete Hegseth became the second cabinet secretary in U.S. history to be confirmed by a tiebreaking vote from the vice president. The decision came after a nail-biting Senate vote, with Vice President JD Vance stepping in to cast the deciding vote.

This rare scenario last happened in 2017, when Betsy DeVos, President Trump’s pick for education secretary, narrowly secured her position thanks to then-Vice President Mike Pence. Back then, two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, opposed DeVos, but without a third defector, Pence’s vote pushed her over the line.

Fast forward to 2025, and Hegseth faced similar resistance. Collins and Murkowski once again broke ranks, joined this time by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Democrats raised concerns about Hegseth’s past, citing allegations of misconduct and mismanagement of veterans’ organizations. Despite the pushback, Hegseth’s confirmation means he’ll now oversee the Pentagon’s massive budget and the nation’s 1.3 million active-duty troops.

It’s a moment that highlights the high stakes of cabinet confirmations and the rare but pivotal role of the vice president in breaking ties. With Hegseth’s confirmation, the U.S. has now seen this dramatic process play out twice in less than a decade.