Trump’s Secretary of Defense pick gives controversial remarks

Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's polarizing pick to lead the Defense Department, vowed Tuesday to fulfill the US president-elect's charge of bringing "warrior culture" back to the Pentagon if he is confirmed.

"When President Trump chose me for this position, the primary charge he gave me was to bring the warrior culture back to the Department of Defense," Hegseth said at the opening of his Senate confirmation hearing.

"He, like me, wants a Pentagon laser-focused on lethality, meritocracy, warfighting, accountability and readiness," the former Army National Guard officer and ex-Fox News host said in remarks interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters.

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Pete Hegseth is an American television presenter, author, and former Army National Guard officer.

Hegseth's military career began in 2003 when he was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Minnesota National Guard. He served deployments at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and in Baghdad and Samarra, Iraq, where he held roles as an infantry platoon leader and civil-military operations officer.

His service earned him commendations, including the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge. In 2012, he returned to active duty, deploying to Afghanistan to train Afghan security forces.

In the media realm, Hegseth joined Fox News in 2014, becoming a political commentator and later co-hosting "Fox & Friends Weekend" from 2017 to 2024. He is also a New York Times bestselling author, with works including "In the Arena," "American Crusade," and "Battle for the American Mind."

Politically active, Hegseth has been involved in conservative and Republican circles since his undergraduate days. He emerged as a supporter of Donald Trump's presidential candidacy in 2016 and served as an occasional advisor during Trump's first term. Notably, he influenced Trump's decision to pardon three soldiers accused or convicted of war crimes in 2019.

On November 12, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Hegseth as the United States Secretary of Defense for his second cabinet. Hegseth's nomination has been met with both support and controversy, with some praising his military experience and others expressing concerns over past allegations and his qualifications for the role.