Pete Hegseth
| Pete Hegseth | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| 29th United States Secretary of Defense From: January 25, 2025 | |||
| President | Donald Trump | ||
| Predecessor | Lloyd Austin | ||
| Successor | Incumbent (no successor) | ||
| Information | |||
| Party | Republican | ||
| Spouse(s) | Jennifer Rauchet | ||
| Religion | Evangelical | ||
Peter Brian Hegseth (b. June 6, 1980) is the 2025 United States Secretary of Defense.
Hegseth served in the US Army and did tours in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan.[1] He is Princeton and Harvard educated. He has been married three times: during his second marriage he engaged in an affair resulting in pregnancy, after which he divorced his wife to marry the woman with whom he had the affair.
Hegseth's books: “Battle for the American Mind” (June, 2022) – spent over twelve weeks on the New York Times best-sellers list, including four straight weeks at #1. Two of Pete’s previous books – “American Crusade” and “Modern Warriors” – were also best-sellers.[2]
In 2016, Trump considered Hegseth for VA Secretary.[3] Hagseth said regarding the Pentagon, "First of all, you’ve got to fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs...Any general, any admiral, whatever, who was involved in diversity, equity and inclusion programs or woke sh*t has got to go."[4]
Hegseth was a television host, on Fox News.
Views
Hegseth rightfully criticized Turkey's membership of NATO, saying Turkish slamist president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan "openly dreams of restoring the Ottoman empire" and is "an Islamist with Islamist visions for the Middle East.[5]
Hegseth believes, NATO should be 'scrapped' and remade.[5]
From a written testimony, submitted to Congress ahead of (Jan/2025) confirmation vote:[6]
- China: The potential seizure of Taiwan, a "fait accompli," should motivate U.S. military modernization. Guam is a linchpin for Indo-Pacific success. Collaborating with Japan will pay deterrence dividends.
- Russia: Despite sanctions and other constraints, its war machine still packs a punch. Moscow's digital subterfuge and Arctic ambitions "are particularly acute." The invasion of Ukraine is "settling into a war of attrition."
- Iran: The regime, which props up violent proxies, creeps closer to nuclear weapons. Its missile and drone arsenal demands countermeasures. The U.S. should help Israel defend itself.
- North Korea: An "intense focus" on missile development, hacking gains and nuclear arms is concerning. Its "space capabilities" must be monitored. Missile defense needs beefing up closer to home.
- Nukes: A triad is a necessity. Full stop. And full steam ahead on the Sentinel nuclear missile, B-21 Raider and the Columbia-class submarine. Partnering with the National Nuclear Security Administration is of highest priority. NNSA labs, plants and sites want for dramatic renovations.
- Doing business: The Pentagon is thinking too narrowly; it should look beyond Cold War suppliers. Places like the Office of Strategic Capital and Defense Innovation Unit are oases. Delayed, over-budget projects require a "thorough review."
- Army upgrades: Wars abroad underline the value of cyber, autonomy and precision fires.
External links
References
- ↑ Trump nominates Pete Hegseth to serve as defense secretary. By Louis Casiano, Fox News, November 12, 2024
- ↑ Petehegseth.com
- ↑ Morgan Chalfant, Trump Considering Brown, Hegseth for VA Secretary. Free Beacon, November 30, 2016
- ↑ Pete Hegseth has said exactly how he will shake up the Pentagon, By Missy Ryan, Dan Lamothe, John Hudson and Alex Horton, Washington Post, November 12, 2024.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 (Nov 25, 2024). Trump Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth believes NATO should be 'scrapped' and remade. Daily Mail.
- ↑ What Hegseth thinks of Russia and China as he takes the Pentagon reins, Axios, Jan 29, 2025
