President-elect Donald Trump surprised political observers on Tuesday night by nominating Fox News personality Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense.
“Pete has dedicated his life as a warrior for our military and our country,” Trump, 78, said in a statement. “Pete is tough, smart, and a true believer in America First. With Pete in command, America’s enemies will be on guard — our military will be great again and America will never back down.” Dew.”
Hegseth’s selection is an unusual selection from a field that included Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who worked closely with the Pentagon on defense legislation and had support from the military community. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Alabama); And former Democratic-turned-Republican Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, like Hegseth, is a member of the Army National Guard.
Hegseth, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been with the cable news giant since 2014, most recently co-hosting “Fox & Friends Weekend.”
“Pete Hegseth has been a prominent host on FOX & Friends and FOX Nation for nearly a decade and is a bestselling author on FOX News Books,” a FOX News spokesperson said in a statement. . “His insights and analysis, especially on the military, resonated with viewers and helped make the show the huge success it is today. We are extremely proud of his work at FOX News and are proud of his work in Washington. I wish him all the best.”
The 44-year-old was considered for the post of Secretary of Veterans Affairs after President Trump was elected in 2016, but the job ultimately went to David Shulkin.
Hegseth graduated from Princeton University in 2003 before joining the military. Ten years later, he earned a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Hegeseth, a Minnesota native, has received two Bronze Star Awards and two Army Commendation Medals for his service overseas.
Follow the latest updates on President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks.
According to multiple media outlets, Hegseth remains a member of the Minnesota Army National Guard’s Individual Ready Reserve.
Congressional rules require candidates to be out of uniform for at least seven years to serve as defense secretary, and Hegseth’s confirmation would likely require a waiver from Congress.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and President Trump’s former Pentagon chief, James Mattis, had been on active duty for less than seven years when they were nominated and received congressional immunity.
Hegseth is also the president of the conservative nonprofit advocacy group Concerned Veterans for America, and author of the best-selling book “The War on Warriors,” in which presidential candidate Trump blames “woke military men” for the draft. He is also the author of The crisis facing the country’s military.
“Over the past three years, since President Barack Obama instilled a foundation in social justice, the Department of Defense has expanded across all departments to address social justice issues such as gender equality, racial diversity, the stupidity of climate change, and the LGBTQA+ alphabet soup. Hegseth writes in The War on Warriors, released in June.
“The only problem is there aren’t enough lesbians from San Francisco who want to join the 82nd Airborne,” he added. “Not only do lesbians not participate, but these very same ads turn away the patriotic, Christian young men who have traditionally made up our ranks.”
Trump promoted Hegseth’s book in his announcement.
“This book exposes the leftist betrayal of our nation’s warriors and reveals how we must return our military to meritocracy, lethality, responsibility, and excellence.” the president wrote.
During the campaign, Trump frequently railed against “woke generals.”
At a rally in August, President Trump promised, “On day one, we will rid our military of critical race theory and transgender lunacy once and for all.” “We’re taking it out.”
During his first administration, President Trump appointed five people to lead the Department of Defense.
Mattis served as President Trump’s first secretary of defense, but resigned over differences in policy regarding U.S. troops in Syria. Mattis was replaced in December 2018 by Patrick Shanahan, who later opted not to go through the confirmation process.
Richard Spencer briefly served as acting defense secretary until Mark Esper was confirmed by the Senate in a bipartisan vote in July 2019.
Between Mr. Mattis and Mr. Esper, the Pentagon has been without a Senate-confirmed leader for a record seven months.
President Trump fired Esper in November 2020 after the two men clashed over sending troops to quell protests in Washington and renaming military bases after Confederate leaders. His successor was Christopher C. Miller, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center.