(Daily Caller News Foundation) — President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday evening that Fox News host and veteran Pete Hegseth will be his pick for secretary of defense in his upcoming administration.
Since last week, Trump has been releasing names for his cabinet after winning both the Electoral College and popular vote. He announced his decision of the Fox & Friends host to lead the Pentagon in a Truth Social post on Tuesday evening.
“Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. 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 statement read.
🚨STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
Congratulations, @PeteHegseth! pic.twitter.com/KUDTTe1vUn
— Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) November 13, 2024
“Pete has led two Veterans Advocacy organizations, leading the fight for our Warriors, and our great Veterans,” Trump said. “Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our ‘Peace through Strength’ policy.”
Hegseth previously served in the Army, joining tours in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan. Following his service on the battlefield, he was decorated with two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
Fox News Media released a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation following the announcement, congratulating Hegseth on the nomination and his work with the outlet.
“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 Media and wish him the best of luck in Washington,” the statement read.
The announcement of Hegseth joining Trump’s second administration comes shortly after the president-elect revealed former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as his pick to lead the CIA. The former president additionally revealed Republican Florida Rep. Mike Waltz as White House national security advisor, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tom Homan as the new “border czar” and former Republican New York Rep. Lee Zeldin as the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency over the last week.
This article was originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
