President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he has chosen Pete Hegseth, a Fox News commentator and military veteran, as his Secretary of Defense. Hegseth, known for his criticism of “woke” policies among Pentagon leadership, has often clashed with top military officials on progressive initiatives, including diversity measures championed by some Pentagon leaders.
If confirmed by the Senate, Hegseth could advance Trump’s promises to overhaul Pentagon leadership and remove high-ranking officials perceived as promoting left-leaning policies. His appointment may also create tensions with General CQ Brown, the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whom Hegseth has criticized for allegedly aligning with “radical” political positions.
Hegseth, a 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran with experience in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantánamo Bay, is an outspoken critic of NATO and has voiced concerns over China’s growing power in Asia.
Announcing his decision, Trump called Hegseth “tough, smart, and a true believer in America First” and declared that with Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, “America’s enemies are on notice—our military will be great again, and America will never back down.”
However, Hegseth’s selection has drawn criticism from Democrats, including Representative Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, who remarked on X that “The job of Secretary of Defense should not be an entry-level position.”
Hegseth has previously stated that he left the military in 2021 after feeling sidelined due to his political and religious views, which he felt were unwelcome within the Army. His book, The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free, details his perspective on an evolving military culture he says he no longer identified with.
Tensions between Trump’s camp and Pentagon leadership have been mounting, particularly over social issues and internal “culture wars.” Trump indicated earlier this year that he would remove senior military officials he perceives as “woke,” and Hegseth has voiced support for restructuring the Pentagon, advocating for senior officials to be replaced if deemed insufficiently focused on national defense.
In his writings, Hegseth has questioned General Brown’s qualifications, suggesting that his selection may have been influenced by race—a statement that has drawn sharp rebukes. Trump’s former defense secretaries and generals have publicly criticized him in recent years, with some arguing he is unfit for office. Hegseth, in turn, has criticized former officials like General Mark Milley, accusing him of prioritizing partisan interests over Trump’s directives.
Trump’s latest Defense pick signals his intent to reshape the Pentagon’s leadership with a more conservative, nationalist vision, intensifying concerns about potential upheaval within the U.S. military’s upper ranks.
