Betsy DeVos, Donald Trump’s controversial pick to be US education secretary, was confirmed in the job yesterday only after vice-president Mike Pence stepped in to cast an unprecedented tiebreaking vote in the Senate.
Ms DeVos, a billionaire Republican donor who critics say is an enemy of state schools, became Mr Trump’s most contentious cabinet nominee amid questions about her qualifications for the role and potential conflicts of interest stemming from her wealth.
The need for Mr Pence to intervene signalled the potential fragility of the president’s support among a few of his party’s headstrong senators, who have already shown a willingness to speak out against his policies.