Pete Hegseth
future head of the Pentagon in the second Trump administration
Peter Brian Hegseth is an American broadcaster, author, and National Guard officer. He is the future U.S. Secretary of Defense in Donald Trump's second administration (2025-2029).
Brief BiographyPete Hegseth was born on June 6, 1980.
He has been active in conservative and Republican politics since his days at Princeton University.
In 2016, he became a strong supporter and ally of presidential candidate Donald Trump and has been an occasional advisor to Trump throughout his presidency.
It was he who, as reported in the media, convinced Trump to pardon three U.S. soldiers charged or convicted of war crimes related to the shooting of non-combatants in Iraq.
Hegseth, who was a platoon leader at Guantanamo Bay during his military service, has been an advocate for the treatment of prisoners held there.
He most recently worked as a political commentator for Fox News, and previously served as executive director of Veterans for Freedom and Unequal Veterans for America.
Hegseth was considered as a candidate to head the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in the first Trump administration, but was not selected.
In November 2024, President-elect Trump announced that he intends to nominate Hegseth for Secretary of Defense.
