Who is Pete Hegseth? Donald Trump nominates Fox News host for secretary of defence in surprising move

In a statement announcing the nomination, Donald Trump described Pete Hegseth as “tough, smart and a true believer in America First.”

In a surprising move, Donald Trump nominated Fox News personality Pete Hegseth for secretary of defence. The choice is an unusual pick from a field of contenders that included Sen. Joni Ernst, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, and Democrat-turned-Republican former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.

Donald Trump nominates Fox News host Pete Hegseth for secretary of defence (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo)(REUTERS)

In a statement shared on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “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. With Pete at the helm, America's enemies are on notice - Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down…”

Hegseth, 44, served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has been with the cable news giant since 2014. Most recently, he worked as a co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend.

“Pete Hegseth has been an exceptional host on FOX & Friends and FOX Nation and a best-selling author for FOX News Books for nearly a decade,” a Fox News spokesperson said in a statement, according to New York Post. “His insights and analysis especially about the military resonated deeply with our viewers and made the program the major success that it is today. We are extremely proud of his work at FOX News and wish him the best of luck in Washington.”

Who is Pete Hegseth?

After Trump’s election in 2016, Hegseth was considered for the position of Veterans Affairs secretary. However, the job went to David Shulkin.

Hegseth graduated from Princeton University in 2003, before joining the military. He earned a master of public policy degree from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government ten years later. The Minnesota native has bagged two Bronze Stars for his service overseas, and two Army Commendation Medals too.