President-elect Donald Trump's latest decision of handing over the world's largest and most powerful military to Fox News host Pete Hegseth has left Washington in shock. Hegseth was nominated to serve as his defense secretary on Tuesday.
"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," Trump said in a statement. He also promoted Hegseth's new book and touted his work with veterans advocacy groups. "Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our 'Peace through Strength' policy," Trump added.
Hegseth's lack of extensive high-level strategic experience that presidents typically look for in a Pentagon leader has given rise to concerns, especially at a time when the world faces global challenges. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, escalating tensions in the Middle East involving Iranian proxies, efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah, and Russia and North Korea strengthening military alliance are among the top Pentagon priority list.
"[Trump] puts the highest value on loyalty," Eric Edelman, who served as the Pentagon's top policy official during the Bush administration, said in an interview to the Politico. "It appears that one of the main criteria that's being used is, how well do people defend Donald Trump on television?"
A defense industry lobbyist questioned, "Who the f--- is this guy?" adding that they hoped for "someone who actually has an extensive background in defense. That would be a good start."
The 44-year-old is a co-host of Fox News Channel's Fox & Friends Weekend and has been a contributor to the network since 2014. It was during this time that he formed a close relationship with Trump, who was a frequent guest on the program.
Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Independent Veterans of America, also slammed the decision on X, writing: "Hegseth is undoubtedly the least qualified nominee for SecDef in American history. And the most overtly political. Brace yourself, America."
Hegseth has been a vocal supporter of Israel in his coverage, which over the past year included the series Battle in the Holy Land: Israel at War, focusing on the ongoing Gaza conflict triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023, terror attacks. He also conducted a high-profile interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"I think Trump was tired of fighting with his secretaries of defense and picked one who would be loyal to him," Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said, according to the Associated Press.
