On Tuesday night, President-elect Donald Trump surprised political observers by selecting Fox News personality Pete Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of defense.
“Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country,” Trump said in a statement. “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.”
The field of contenders included Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who earned favor in military circles for working closely with the Pentagon on defense legislation; House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.); and Democrat-turned-Republican former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, an Army National Guard member like Hegseth.
A Fox News spokesperson said in a statement, “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.” “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.”
The 44-year-old had been considered for the position of Veterans Affairs secretary following Trump’s election in 2016, but that job ultimately went to David Shulkin.
Before joining the military, Hegseth graduated from Princeton University. Ten years later, he received a master of public policy degree from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Hegeseth, a Minnesota native, has received two Bronze Stars for his service overseas as well as two Army Commendation Medals.