On Tuesday, Donald Trump revealed several new appointments for his upcoming administration, including the unexpected choice of Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and Army National Guard veteran, to serve as Secretary of Defense.
“Pete exemplifies toughness, intelligence, and a deep commitment to America First,” Trump stated. “With Pete leading the charge, our adversaries should be wary—our military will be revitalized, and America will never falter.”
Hegseth’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate.
Having joined Fox News in 2014, Hegseth, 44, currently serves as a co-host on Fox & Friends Weekend. He previously made headlines by claiming that he doesn’t wash his hands because germs are invisible and thus “not real.” In another controversial remark from May 2020, he urged “healthy individuals” to demonstrate “bravery” by deliberately contracting COVID-19.
Before his deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hegseth earned his degree from Princeton and later achieved a Master of Public Policy from Harvard a decade later. Last year on Fox, he criticized what he termed the “educational cartel” that “indoctrinates” students, stating: “I have a new rule: the more prestigious the university and the more advanced the graduate, the less intelligent they seem.”
Although Hegseth regularly portrays himself as a devoted family man, he has been married three times. His latest wedding took place at Trump’s golf club in New Jersey in 2019, where he married Fox producer Jennifer Rauchet—whom he had an extramarital affair and child with, as reported by APM Reports.
This publication also highlighted Hegseth’s choice to revise portions of his 2016 book, In the Arena, to align better with the realities of his personal life rather than his public persona. In the original edition, he emphasized the significance of “preventing the divorce of parents with children,” while in the new version, he focuses on “preventing irresponsible divorce.”
A steadfast MAGA advocate during Trump’s initial term, Hegseth lauded Trump’s decision to pardon four military contractors implicated in the killing of 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians in 2017—an act he had actively supported behind the scenes, according to the Daily Beast.
When Joe Biden was inaugurated, Hegseth claimed that he was dismissed from his assignment at the event due to the National Guard’s objections to his cross-shaped chest tattoo, which is associated with the crusades and has recently been adopted by some right-wing extremists.
Fox News celebrated Trump’s selection with a statement, noting, “Pete Hegseth has been an excellent host on FOX & Friends and FOX Nation and is also a best-selling author with FOX News Books for nearly ten years. His perspectives and analyses, particularly regarding military issues, have resonated strongly with our audience, making the program a significant success.”
“We take immense pride in his efforts at FOX News Media and wish him the very best in Washington.”
Trump’s other personnel choices announced on Tuesday were less surprising.
He selected John Ratcliffe as the CIA director, a position that CNN reported he had also been considered for previously as attorney general, a role still undecided.
Ratcliffe, who is the co-chair at the Trump-associated think tank Center for American Security at the America First Policy Institute, has previously held a position in the Trump administration, serving as director of national intelligence from May 2020 until the administration’s conclusion. Trump had originally planned to nominate him for this position a year earlier but changed his mind amid scrutiny over his qualifications regarding his role as a federal prosecutor in Texas in the early 2000s.
Before his tenure as DNI director, Ratcliffe represented Texas’s fourth congressional district in the House.
On the same day, Trump appointed William McGinley as his White House counsel. McGinley, who also has experience in the Trump White House, held the position of cabinet secretary from Trump’s inauguration until July 2019.
More recently, McGinley served as outside counsel to a Republican National Committee team focused on election integrity during the 2024 campaign. He was previously a partner at Jones Day and was enlisted by the Trump campaign to manage delegate procedures at the 2016 convention.
For the role of Middle East envoy, Trump has nominated Steven Witkoff, a New York real estate investor and landlord, mirroring Trump’s own background.
Trump’s statement praised Witkoff, saying, “He is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy, who has strengthened every project and community he has influenced. Steve will be an unwavering Voice for PEACE, making us all proud.”
Witkoff also serves as co-chair of Trump’s inaugural committee.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump made yet another appointment related to the Middle East, selecting former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel.
Among the roles that Trump has yet to finalize is the press secretary position, though Mediaite reported that Trumplawyer Alina Habba is a leading candidate for the role.
