User:ElijahPepe/Pete Hegseth

Pete Hegseth
Official portrait, 2025
29th United States Secretary of Defense
Incumbent
Assumed office January 25, 2025
President	Donald Trump
Deputy	Steve Feinberg (nominee)
Preceded by	Robert G. Salesses (acting)
Personal details
Born	Peter Brian Hegseth (1980-06-06) June 6, 1980 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Meredith Schwarz ​ ​ (m. 2004; div. 2009)​ Samantha Deering ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2017)​ Jennifer Rauchet ​ (m. 2019)​
Children	7
Education	Princeton University (BA) Harvard University (MPP)
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army U.S. Army Reserve
Years of service	2003–2014; 2019–2021
Rank	Major
Unit	Minnesota Army National Guard District of Columbia Army National Guard
Battles/wars	Iraq War War in Afghanistan
Awards	Bronze Star (2) Army Commendation Medal (2) Combat Infantryman Badge

Peter Brian Hegseth (born June 6, 1980) is an American television presenter, author, and former National Guard officer who has served as United States secretary of defense since 2025.

Hegseth studied politics at Princeton University, where he published for The Princeton Tory, a conservative student newspaper. In 2003, he was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Minnesota National Guard, where he served at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Hegseth worked for several organizations after leaving Iraq, including as an executive director at Vets For Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. He became a contributor for Fox News in 2014. Hegseth served as an advisor to Trump after initally supporting his campaign in 2016. From 2017 to 2024, he was a co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend. He has written several books, including American Crusade (2020) and The War on Warriors (2024).

In November 2024, president-elect Donald Trump named Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of defense. A Senate Committee on Armed Services committee hearing for Hegseth was held days before Trump's second inauguration. He faced allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement, and alcohol issues leading up to his committee confirmation. He was confirmed by the Senate, with vice president JD Vance casting a tie-breaking vote, the second time in U.S. history that a Cabinet nominee's confirmation was decided by a vice president after Betsy DeVos in 2017. He is the second youngest person to serve as secretary of defense, after Donald Rumsfeld, and the first Minnesotan to serve in the position.

Early life and education (1980–2003)

Princeton University, where Hegseth studied (pictured in 2019)

Hegseth studied at Princeton University, where he majored in politics. According to Reserve & National Guard Magazine, he chose Princeton over the United States Military Academy for Princeton's men's basketball program. Hegseth joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps and was the publisher and later editor-in-chief of The Princeton Tory, a conservative newspaper. In April 2002, he declared that as publisher, he would "defend the pillars of Western civilization against the distractions of diversity." The editors of The Princeton Tory criticized Halle Berry for accepting the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Monster's Ball (2001) "on behalf of an entire race," and The New York Times for announcing that it would print gay marriage announcements, arguing that it would justify publishing marriage announcements for incestuous, zoophilic, and pedophilic relationships. In October, the Tory published an editorial characterizing homosexuality as immoral. In response, the president of Princeton's student government, Nina Langsam, wrote a strongly-worded email to The Princeton Tory's publisher, Brad Simmons, and Hegseth. Her email was published in the following issue.

Career

Employment and military deployments (2003–2006)

After graduating from Princeton in 2003, Hegseth commissioned in the United States Army through the university's Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. He briefly worked as an equity-markets analyst at Bear Sterns. Hegseth completed his basic training at Fort Moore in Columbus, Georgia in 2004, and for eleven months, he was a Minnesota National Guardsman at Guantanamo Bay detention camp. There, he led a platoon of soldiers from New Jersey guarding imprisoned terrorists. By July 2005, he had returned to Bear Sterns; shortly thereafter, he volunteered in the Iraq War as an infantry officer, where he received a Bronze Star Medal. In Samarra, he served as a civil affairs officer.

Political advocacy (2006–2016)

In 2006, Hegseth moved to Manhattan, where he met a Marine who was working for Vets for Freedom, a political advocacy organization. He began working for Vets for Freedom in 2006 as an unpaid director; by 2008, he was working full-time, and by the following year, he became the organization's president. In May 2007, Hegseth appeared at a presidential campaign fundraiser for Arizona senator John McCain. In the months leading up to the 2008 United States presidential election, Vets for Freedom began supporting

Hegseth left Concerned Veterans for America in January 2016.

In December 2016, president-elect Donald Trump was reportedly considering Hegseth for secretary of veterans affairs, but he faced opposition from veterans groups who viewed Hegseth's support for allowing all veterans to choose private doctors as untenable; Paul Rieckhoff, the executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said that selecting Hegseth would "be war" and "a radical departure." Trump later chose David Shulkin, with The Washington Post noting Hegseth's lack of experience in operating a large organization. After Shulkin fell out of favor with the Trump administration in March 2018, Hegseth positioned himself as a potential candidate.

Fox News contributor (2014–2024)

Hegseth served as a temporary host for Laura Ingraham on The Ingraham Angle (2017–present) in an effort by the network to promote other staffers. The change occurred during the boycott of The Ingraham Angle following comments Ingraham had made about David Hogg, an activist and survivor of the Parkland high school shooting.

Hegseth's opinions expressed on Fox & Friends influenced Trump's policymaking in his first term. In October 2018, as a migrant caravan began traveling to the United States, Trump claimed that "unknown Middle Easterners" had infiltrated the caravan. Trump apparently cited a comment that Hegseth had made on Fox & Friends, though Hegseth noted that he had not verified his statement for accuracy. Hegseth himself apparently had based his claim on a statement Guatemalan president Jimmy Morales had made on capturing one hundred ISIS fighters in the country. In negotiations to avert a federal government shutdown, Democrats neared a deal until Hegseth urged him not to support a deal that did not include US$5 billion for his border wall. Trump repeated claims that Hegseth had made correlating video games with mass shootings after two mass shootings in El Paso and in Dayton in August 2019. Hegseth claimed that he had spoken to Trump on pardoning war criminals Clint Lorance and Mathew L. Golsteyn, as well as reversing the demotion of Eddie Gallagher.

Hegseth hosted The Miseducation of America (2022–2023), a television program on Fox Nation criticizing "the Left's educational agenda".

Secretary of Defense (2025–present)

Hegseth being sworn in by vice president JD Vance.

Nomination and confirmation

On November 12, 2024, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump named Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of defense. The selection of Hegseth was seen as a sign that Trump sought to appoint a loyalist to lead the Department of Defense.

On January 24, Hegseth was confirmed by the Senate in a 51–50 vote. Every Republican senator, with the exception of Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell, voted to confirm him, while every Democrat senator opposed his nomination, leading to a 50–50 vote. Vice president JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote to advance Hegseth. His confirmation was the second in U.S. history to be decided by a vice president, after Betsy DeVos's confirmation for secretary of education in 2017; Trump had nominated DeVos, and her confirmation was opposed by Collins and Murkowski but decided by vice president Mike Pence.

In a speech following his swearing-in, Hegseth stated several priorities for the Department of Defense, including to "revive the warrior ethos, "restore trust in our military," re-establish the United States's industrial base, ease the department's process to purchase weaponry, "re-establish deterrence by defending our homeland," engage with Indo-Pacific to deter China, and support Trump's effort to "end wars responsibly"—including the Russo-Ukrainian War and the Middle Eastern crisis.

Internal operations

Hegseth revoked the security clearance and detail of Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and chief of staff of the Army who later became a critic of Trump, and ordered an inspector general inquiry into Milley's tenure as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the inspector general of the Department of Defense was vacated after Trump dismissed several inspectors general.

Foreign affairs

In a call to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu a day after being sworn-in, Hegseth said that the United States was "fully committed" to the security of Israel.

Books

In October 2020, Fox News Media reached a three-book agreement with HarperCollins to publish books by Fox News hosts, beginning with Hegseth's Modern Warriors: Real Stories from Real Heroes in November.

Political positions

Military affairs

In November 2009, Hegseth supported sending additional forces into Afghanistan during the War in Afghanistan.

In a Yale Political Union speech in October 2008, Hegseth disagreed with "Don't ask, don't tell", the United States's position on homosexuality in the military, but noted that "Radical Islam is a far greater threat."

Personal life

Marriages

In 2004, Hegseth married Meredith Schwarz, a graduate of Forest Lake Area High School; they were voted "most likely to marry" by their graduating class.

Religion

In In the Arena (2016), Hegseth described himself as a Christian "more out of diligent habit than deep conviction". Following the September 11 attacks, he developed a hatred for Islamic terrorism, denouncing the Princeton University Chapel for its "moral relativism".

Tattoos

Hegseth has several tattoos, including one across his right bicep reading Deus vult, a Christian phrase associated with divine providence and God's will. He later claimed that a tattoo of the Jerusalem cross on his right breast barred him from serving on duty at the inauguration of Joe Biden; the Associated Press obtained an email showing that the District of Columbia National Guardsman who flagged Hegseth as an "insider threat" had also identified the Deus vult tattoo. In addition, he has a tattoo of the political cartoon Join, or Die, a cross cum sword with Hebrew lettering reading Yeshua, and the words We the People on his right forearm, as well as the coat of arms of the 187th Infantry Regiment on his back, including its motto Ne Desit Virtus or "Let Valor Not Fail".

Awards and decorations

Hegseth's awards and decorations include:

Combat Infantryman Badge
Bronze Star Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster				Joint Service Commendation Medal				Army Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal				Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars				Iraq Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal				Global War on Terrorism Service Medal				Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Army Service Ribbon				Overseas Service Ribbon				NATO Medal

Works cited

Books

• Baker, Peter; Glasser, Susan (2022). The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021. New York: Penguin Random House. ISBN 9780385546539.

Articles

• Associated Press (August 14, 2007). "Combat vets attempt to sway Iraq debate". NBC News. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
• Al-Rikabi, Ramsey (November 12, 2024). "Trump to Nominate Fox News Host Hegseth as Defense Secretary". Bloomberg News. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
• Cooper, Samantha (December 22, 2002). "The Pen Is Mightier Than the Electron". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Catanese, David (March 6, 2012). "Pete Hegseth's Princeton files". Politico. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
• Cooper, Michael (May 17, 2007). "McCain in New York". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Copp, Tara; Smith, Michelle; Dearen, Jason (November 15, 2024). "Trump Pentagon pick had been flagged by fellow service member as possible 'Insider Threat'". Associated Press. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Craven, Jasper (December 6, 2024). "Pete Hegseth's Crusade to Turn the Military into a Christian Weapon". Politico. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
• DiMascio, Jen (November 5, 2009). "Veterans groups boost lobbying". Politico. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
• Grynbaum, Michael; Tracy, Marc; Hsu, Tiffany (August 5, 2019). "Trump Echoes 'Fox & Friends' on Shootings. The New York Post Dissents". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Karni, Annie; Cameron, Chris (January 24, 2025). "Hegseth Is Second Cabinet Secretary in History to Advance on Tiebreaker Vote". The New York Times. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
• LaFraniere, Sharon; Fahrenthold, David; Philipps, Dave; Kelly, Kate (December 4, 2024). "Pete Hegseth;s Troubles at Work Raise Questions About Leadership". The New York Times. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
• Lamothe, Dan; Ryan, Missy; Horton, Alex (January 28, 2025). "Hegseth readies actions against Trump foe Mark Milley". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
• Mahler, Jonathan; Rutenberg, Jim (April 3, 2019). "How Rupert Murdoch's Empire of Influence Remade the World". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Manfre, Jessica (May 9, 2022). "Pete Hegseth talks evolution of reserve component". Reserve + National Guard Magazine. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
• Mayer, Jane (December 1, 2024). "Pete Hegseth's Secret History". The New Yorker. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
• Mendick, Robert (November 14, 2024). "Mapping Pete Hegseth's tattoos: the Christian ink that got him kicked off Biden's National Guard team". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Philipps, Dave (December 12, 2016). "Veterans Groups Urge Trump to Keep Obama's V.A. Secretary". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Philipps, Dave (November 15, 2019). "Trump Clears Three Service Members in War Crimes Cases". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Poniewozik, James (October 23, 2018). "Fox News and Trump Reboot a Fearmongering TV Drama From 2014". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Rein, Lisa (January 11, 2017). "David Shulkin tapped as Trump's VA secretary". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Rein, Lisa (March 15, 2018). "Trump eyes 'Fox & Friends' personality Pete Hegseth to take over Veterans Affairs". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Ryan, Missy (November 12, 2024). "Trump taps Fox News host and Army vet Pete Hegseth as defense secretary". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Schmitt, Eric (January 25, 2025). "Pete Hegseth, New Defense Secretary, Outlines Pentagon's Priorities". The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
• Schmitt, Eric (January 26, 2025). "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Sunday, in what is believed to be his first call with a world leader since being sworn in on Saturday". The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
• Sherman, Gabriel (December 3, 2024). "The Storybook Start—and Bitter End—of Pete Hegseth's First Marriage". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
• Shim, Eileen (October 7, 2008). "At YPU, a call for ROTC's return". Yale Daily News. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
• Simonetti, Isabella (February 26, 2024). "Fox News's Streaming Playbook: Hollywood Stars and Conservative Documentaries". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
• Steinberg, Brian (April 2, 2018). "Jason Chaffetz, Katie Pavlich, Brian Kilmeade and Pete Hegseth to Sub for Laura Ingraham on Fox News". Variety. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
• Steinberg, Brian (October 7, 2020). "Pete Hegseth, Shannon Bream to Publish Books Under New Fox News Imprint". Variety. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
• Ward, Alexander (November 12, 2024). "Loyalty Is Common Thread as Trump Fills Foreign Policy, Immigration Jobs". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
• Youssef, Nancy (January 14, 2025). "What Do Hegseth's Arm Tattoos Mean?". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
• Zhou, Li (November 14, 2024). "Trump is staffing up his White House with loyalists". Vox. Retrieved January 25, 2025.

External links

• Hegseth at The Princeton Tory