CNN
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President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and Army veteran, to serve as his secretary of defense.
“Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country,” Trump said in a Tuesday statement announcing the selection. “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.”
Hegseth has a long record in the military, serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He has also acted as an informal adviser to Trump for a number of years while he was in and out of office, Trump advisers told CNN. While Hegseth was considered for a number of positions in Trump’s first administration, he was ultimately passed over, they said.
The president-elect is known to value how his message is delivered to television audiences, and the selection elevates the TV personality to a critical role in Trump’s second administration. Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida had been floated for the job, but Trump has since asked him to serve as his national security adviser.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
