Trump Selects Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense
Donald Trump announced his nomination of Pete Hegseth to be secretary of defense Tuesday night. Hegseth, a graduate of Princeton and Harvard, served in Iraq and Afghanistan as an officer in the Army National Guard, during which time he was twice awarded the Bronze Star. After finishing his military service, he served as the executive director of Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans of America. Hegseth is currently a contributor and host for Fox News.
During the first Trump administration, Hegseth was considered for the leadership of the Department of Veterans Affairs, although he was not chosen for the position.
Hegseth has argued for a more restrained use of American military force. Citing his own service as a National Guard, he has endorsed state-level “Defend the Guard” Acts which prevent the federal government from deploying state National Guard units overseas unless Congress has officially issued a declaration of war.