A week after his election to the Oval Office for a second term, Donald Trump has started appointing people to his cabinet ahead of the January 20 inauguration. On Tuesday, the US President-elect announced Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and Army veteran, as his Secretary of Defense. Hegseth's background in military service and conservative media advocacy make him a key figure in Trump's ongoing efforts to reshape the defence establishment.
Sources close to the Trump team told CNN that Hegseth, a NATO sceptic, was not initially a top contender for the job, but the President-elect reportedly admires the 44-year-old's intelligence and views on military affairs.
Who is Pete Hegseth?
Pete Hegseth, 44, is a TV host, media panellist and military veteran best known for his eight-year tenure with Fox News. Born on June 6, 1980, in Minnesota, Hegseth grew up in a conservative family, shaping his views on politics and national values. He graduated from Princeton University with a bachelor's degree in politics and Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government with a master's degree in public policy (although he famously returned the degree in protest over the university's left-wing stance). Hegseth lives in Middle Tennessee with his wife, Jenny, and their seven children.
Trump and Hegseth's long-standing relationship
Pete Hegseth's understanding of military affairs and public policy, coupled with his personal experience as a soldier, made him a trusted voice on Fox News, particularly on Fox & Friends Weekend. As co-host of the show, Hegseth became a familiar figure in conservative circles for his commentary on military and political matters.
Hegseth's connection with Donald Trump dates back to the President's frequent appearances on the network, especially Fox & Friends. Their interactions soon transformed into a friendship. Trump came to appreciate Hegseth's strong conservative stance and military background. This growing camaraderie was instrumental in Hegseth's selection as Secretary of Defense.
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Military experience and advocacy for veterans
Pete Hegseth brings solid military experience to the table, despite never serving in high-ranking positions within the military or national security. At Princeton University, he enrolled in the Army ROTC and then committed to the Army National Guard in 2001 and began training there. His first deployment took him to Guantanamo Bay, where he spent a year overseeing detainees at the US military base.
After returning to civilian life post-deployment, Hegseth felt a lack of purpose and, driven by a desire to contribute more, volunteered for a deployment to Iraq. Serving as an infantry officer, he earned two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman Badge for his service in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Beyond his military service, Hegseth has been a prominent advocate for veterans. He led the conservative group Concerned Veterans for America, which aligns with the Koch brothers' political network. He's been a vocal critic of government institutions, particularly the Department of Veterans Affairs, and is a key figure in the conservative movement pushing for military reforms.
Advocacy for war crime pardons
As a co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend, Pete Hegseth built a sizable following among conservative viewers. In 2019, he publicly lobbied for US service members accused of war crimes to be pardoned by then-President Donald Trump. Hegseth used his platform on Fox News to advocate for these servicemen, interviewing their families and urging Trump to issue pardons. He voiced his support on social media, saying it would be “amazing” if Trump granted clemency and used hashtags to draw attention to the cases.
Hegseth's advocacy yielded results when Trump granted clemency to several individuals. Among those pardoned was a former US Army commando facing trial for the killing of a suspected Afghan bomb-maker, and a former Army lieutenant convicted of murder for directing his troops to kill three Afghan men.
Hegseth has been critical of international laws concerning war crimes and has often said they were "rigged" against America.
Best-selling author
Apart from his services in the military and advocacy for veterans, Pete Hegseth has also authored a book, The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free. In this book, he criticised the public and government's treatment of American service members. The book received attention for its portrayal of veterans and their struggles in the post-9/11 era. The book even made it to the New York Times Best-Seller list. Trump, in announcing Hegseth's nomination, praised the book's success, particularly its run at number one on the list for two weeks.
A new era at the Pentagon?
Hegseth's announcement as the US Secretary of Defense comes amid rising global tensions. The US faces multiple security challenges, including Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine, Israel's onslaught in Gaza, and China asserting its dominance in the South China Sea. At the Pentagon, Hegseth will be tasked with overseeing the US military's readiness to confront these threats.
In 2020, Pete Hegseth hit headlines after describing Iran as "an evil regime" and calling for aggressive military action to ensure the country does not develop nuclear weapons. In the same year, when Iran fired ballistic missiles at US bases in Iraq, Hegseth urged Trump to bomb economic and cultural sites in the Middle-eastern country if they were housing weapons.
Interestingly, during Donald Trump's first term as US President, five different individuals served as the Secretary of Defense. Trump's relationship with military leaders, both civilian and retired, was often fraught with tension, as generals and Pentagon officials struggled to interpret and respond to the President's unpredictable policy decisions.
