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Pete Hegseth

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Pete Hegseth

Peter Brian Hegseth (born June 6, 1980) is an American government official and former television personality who has served as the 29th United States secretary of defense since 2025. Hegseth studied politics at Princeton University, where he was the publisher of The Princeton Tory, a conservative student newspaper. In 2003, he was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Minnesota Army National Guard, serving at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Hegseth worked for several organizations after leaving Iraq, including as an executive director at Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. He became a contributor to Fox News in 2014. Hegseth served as an advisor to President Donald Trump after supporting his campaign in 2016. From 2017 to 2024, Hegseth co-hosted Fox & Friends Weekend. He has written several books, including American Crusade (2020) and The War on Warriors (2024). In November 2024, President-elect Trump named Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of defense. In a Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing days before Trump's second inauguration, Hegseth faced allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement, and excessive drinking. Hegseth was confirmed by the Senate that month, with Vice President JD Vance casting a tie-breaking vote. It was only the second time in US history that a Cabinet nominee's confirmation was decided by a vice president (following Betsy DeVos during the first Trump administration in 2017). Hegseth is the second-youngest secretary of defense (after Donald Rumsfeld). Hegseth has drawn criticism during his tenure as Secretary of Defense due to the fallout from a leaked government group chat on Signal as well as alleged war crimes in the U.S.'s military strikes on alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea.

Infobox

President
Donald Trump
Deputy
Steve Feinberg
Preceded by
Lloyd Austin
Born
Peter Brian Hegseth (1980-06-06) June 6, 1980 (age 45)Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party
Republican
Spouses
mw- Meredith Schwarz (m. 2004; div. 2009) Samantha Deering (m. 2010; div. 2017) Jennifer Rauchet (m. 2019)
Children
4
Education
Princeton University (BA)Harvard University (MPP)
Branch/service
mw- li United States Army Army National Guard
Years of service
2003–20062010–20142019–2021
Rank
Major
Unit
Minnesota Army National GuardDistrict of Columbia Army National Guard
Battles/wars
Iraq WarWar in Afghanistan
Awards
Bronze Star (2)Joint Service Commendation MedalArmy Commendation Medal (2)Combat Infantryman Badge
Party
Republican

Tables

· Awards and decorations
Bronze Star Medalwith bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medalwith bronze oak leaf cluster
Combat Infantryman Badge
Bronze Star Medalwith bronze oak leaf cluster
Combat Infantryman Badge
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Army Commendation Medalwith bronze oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
National Defense Service Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Afghanistan Campaign Medalwith two bronze service stars
Combat Infantryman Badge
Iraq Campaign Medalwith two bronze service stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Army Service Ribbon
Combat Infantryman Badge
Army Service Ribbon
Combat Infantryman Badge
Overseas Service Ribbon
Combat Infantryman Badge
NATO Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Bronze Star Medalwith bronze oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medalwith bronze oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medalwith two bronze service stars
Iraq Campaign Medalwith two bronze service stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
NATO Medal
· External links
Preceded byLloyd Austin
Preceded byLloyd Austin
Political offices
Preceded byLloyd Austin
Political offices
United States Secretary of Defense 2025–present
Political offices
Incumbent
Order of precedence
Order of precedence
Political offices
Order of precedence
Preceded byScott Bessentas Secretary of the Treasury
Preceded byScott Bessentas Secretary of the Treasury
Political offices
Preceded byScott Bessentas Secretary of the Treasury
Political offices
Order of precedence of the United Statesas Secretary of Defense
Political offices
Succeeded byPam Bondias Attorney General
U.S. presidential line of succession
U.S. presidential line of succession
Political offices
U.S. presidential line of succession
Preceded byScott Bessentas Secretary of the Treasury
Preceded byScott Bessentas Secretary of the Treasury
Political offices
Preceded byScott Bessentas Secretary of the Treasury
Political offices
Sixth in line as Secretary of Defense
Political offices
Succeeded byPam Bondias Attorney General
Political offices
Preceded byLloyd Austin
United States Secretary of Defense 2025–present
Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded byScott Bessentas Secretary of the Treasury
Order of precedence of the United Statesas Secretary of Defense
Succeeded byPam Bondias Attorney General
presidential line of succession
Preceded byScott Bessentas Secretary of the Treasury
Sixth in line as Secretary of Defense
Succeeded byPam Bondias Attorney General

References

  1. Also known as Secretary of War following President Donald Trump's 2025 executive order authorizing it as a secondary tit
  2. Brian and Penny had two children after Hegseth: Nate (born 1982/1983) and Philip (born 1992/1993).
  3. Attributed to multiple references:
  4. Attributed to multiple references:
  5. Attributed to multiple references:
  6. Attributed to multiple references:
  7. Attributed to multiple references:
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  159. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/28/hegseth-kill-them-all-survivors-boat-strike/
  160. The Independent
    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/pete-hegseth-drug-boat-survivors-order-b2874580.html
  161. HuffPost
    https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pete-hegseth-war-crimes-report_n_692a4507e4b0dee467c88b45
  162. "Lawmakers Suggest Follow-Up Boat Strike Could Be a War Crime"
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  163. USA Today
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  164. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/29/hegseth-caribbean-strikes-kill-order-reaction/
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  180. DiMascio 2009.
  181. "Who is Pete Hegseth, the pro-Israel Fox News host picked to head Pentagon?". Al Jazeera.
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  198. Seligman, Bergengruen & Youssef 2024.
  199. Tolan, Glover & Murray 2024.
  200. Chappell 2024.
  201. "Text of the Email That Pete Hegseth's Mother Sent Him". The New York Times.
  202. Helmore 2024.
  203. Forsyth 2024.
  204. Baker & Graham 2024.
  205. Toropin 2025.
  206. Wilson 2024c.
  207. Youssef 2025.
  208. Craven 2024: "Later, Hegseth flashes his right pectoral muscle, and the tattoo that, he says, led to the label: a large,
  209. Swann 2024: "However, both the cross and the Latin phrase 'Deus Vult' are popular among right-wing extremist groups, exp
  210. Dunbar 2025.
  211. Mendick 2024.
  212. Wilson 2024b.
  213. Davis et al. 2024.
  214. Izzo 2024.
  215. Horton 2024.
  216. Fields 2024.
  217. Steinberg 2020.
  218. Butler 2024.
  219. Cooper 2024.
  220. Adams & Erickson 2017, p. i.
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