Surprise in Trump's cabinet: Veteran and Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be secretary of defense
The president-elect's choice served in Iraq, Cuba and Afghanistan during his time in the Army. He is also the author of the books "Modern Heroes" and "The War on Warriors."
Hegseth was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan during his years in the Army/ Gage Skidmore.
Donald Trump announced Pete Hegseth as his next secretary of defense. The president-elect made the announcement a s intatement, in which he highlighted Hegseth's qualifications to fill the post currently held by Lloyd Austin. At 44, Trump's pick is an author, Iraq veteran and renowned Fox News anchor.
Hegseth is an outsider of politics with no experience in public office. He will have to fill a spot with a somewhat stormy past during the first Trump administration. The then-president did not end on the best note with his previous picks, including Jim Mattis and Mark Esper.
"I am honored to announce that I have nominated Pete Hegseth to serve in my Cabinet as The Secretary of Defense. Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First," Trump said in a statement.
Hegseth, the current host of Fox & Friends, has an extensive military career. He joined the Army in the early 2000s after graduating from Princeton University. He served first at Guantanamo Bay, where he was an infantry platoon leader with the Minnesota National Guard.
He was later deployed to Iraq and received the Bronze Star Medal for his service, a decoration awarded to those who stand out for heroic acts or meritorious service. After a few years of recess, he returned to service and was sent to Afghanistan. He later completed a master's degree at Harvard University.
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After a brief Senate campaign in 2012, he served as executive director of Concerned Veterans for America. He joined Fox News as a contributor and has since become a familiar face to conservative audiences in the United States.
Already in the media, he backed the agenda of Donald Trump's first presidency, particularly as it related to foreign policy and defense. He was even considered to head the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2017, but ultimately, the post went to David Shulkin.
Hegseth has written four books, the last two of which are "Modern Heroes" and "The War on Warriors," the latter being Amazon's best-selling "military politics" book.
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