Trump nominates Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary

U.S. President Donald Trump is interviewed by Fox and Friends co-host Pete Hegseth at the White House in Washington, U.S. April 6, 2017.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday (November 12, 2024) that he is nominating Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth to serve as his defence secretary.

Mr. Hegseth deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and unsuccessfully ran for Senate in Minnesota in 2012 before joining Fox News.

“With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice — Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down,” Mr. Trump said in a statement. “Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our ‘Peace through Strength’ policy.”

In a flurry of announcements, Mr. Trump also named Bill McGinley, his Cabinet secretary in his first administration, as his White House counsel. Mr. Trump also announced that Tesla owner Elon Musk and Indian American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE.

Mr. Trump is rolling out a steady stream of appointees and nominees for his upcoming administration, working thus far at a faster pace and without as much drama as his first transition following his 2016 victory.