Trump selects Pete Hegseth as new defense secretary
Photo: Pete Hegseth will be the new US Secretary of Defense (wikimedia.org)
Donald Trump, the winner of the US presidential election, has decided to nominate Pete Hegseth as the new Secretary of Defense. Hegseth is a Fox News host and a military veteran, according to CBS News.
"I am honored to announce that I have nominated Pete Hegseth to serve in my Cabinet as The Secretary of Defense," Trump said.
He noted that Hegseth 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,'" said Trump, elected as the 47th president of the United States.
The Republican added, "With Pete at the helm, America's enemies are on notice — Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down."
What is known about Pete Hegseth
The 44-year-old Peter Brian Hegseth is a US Army veteran and an officer in the National Guard. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton and a master's degree from Harvard.
The future Pentagon chief is currently co-hosting Fox & Friends Weekends and is also the author of the book Warriors and War: On the Betrayal of the People Who Keep Us Free. He was previously the executive director of Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America.
In 2012, Hegseth ran for the Senate as a Republican, competing for a seat against Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar. However, in May, he withdrew from the race after the state convention. At that election, Republican Kurt Bills won the nomination but later lost in the general election.
It has been reported that Hegseth previously convinced Trump to pardon three US soldiers accused or convicted of war crimes related to shooting noncombatants in Iraq.
Hegseth was considered for the role of Secretary of Veterans Affairs in Trump’s first administration.
It was reported that Donald Trump officially appointed Republican representative Mike Waltz as his National Security Advisor.
RBC-Ukraine has separately reported on what is known about Waltz and his stance on Ukraine.
Additionally, Western media outlets recently reported that South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem will be appointed as the new Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security, who is a vocal opponent of US aid to Ukraine.
