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.”

Published on: Nov 13, 2024, 07:36:31 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More