The person chosen by Mr. Trump for the "hot seat" of the Pentagon

(Dan Tri) - President-elect Donald Trump hopes that choosing Mr. Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host, as Secretary of Defense will make America's opponents "wary".

Mr. Pete Hegseth was chosen by President-elect Donald Trump as US Secretary of Defense (Photo: Getty).

In selecting Fox News host Pete Hegseth to head the Department of Defense, President-elect Donald Trump has chosen a veteran and prominent conservative media figure with a large following. "Pete is tough, smart, and a true believer in America First," Trump said in a Nov. 12 announcement. Hegseth, 44, has developed a close relationship with Trump, who also considered him for a position in his first administration. Host Hegseth has been a contributor to the network for a decade as a co-host of Fox News ' "Fox & Friends Weekend." He developed a friendship with Trump through the president-elect's frequent appearances on Fox News . In a statement, a Fox News spokesperson praised Hegseth's military knowledge, saying that "his insights and analysis, especially on military matters, have resonated deeply with our viewers." Hegseth's contract with Fox News officially ended on November 12 and his final show was last weekend, Fox News said. Hegseth has also written several books, some for the network's publishing arm, including "The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free." When announcing Hegseth's nomination, President-elect Trump praised the book, noting that it "was on the New York Times bestseller list for nine weeks, including two weeks at number one."

Mr. Hegseth interviewed Mr. Trump at the White House in 2017 (Photo: Reuters).

Veteran Hegseth has a military background, although he has no high-level military or national security experience. After graduating from Princeton University in 2003, Hegseth was commissioned as an infantry captain in the Army National Guard, serving in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as at Guantanamo Bay. He previously headed Concerned Veterans for America, a group backed by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, and ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in Minnesota in 2012. He has a master's degree in public policy from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, according to his personal profile on Fox News . When Trump formed his first cabinet after winning the 2016 presidential election, he reportedly considered Hegseth to run the Department of Veterans Affairs. He again considered Mr. Hegseth when Secretary David Shulkin faced criticism before being ousted in 2018. Protecting the troops In 2019, Mr. Hegseth urged Mr. Trump to pardon American service members accused of war crimes. He championed their cases on his show, interviewing relatives on Fox News . He tweeted that a pardon from Mr. Trump “would be great,” and tagged the accused men in a post about his private lobbying of the president. The effort paid off, with Mr. Trump pardoning a former U.S. commando who was facing trial for killing an Afghan bomb-maker suspect that year, as well as a former lieutenant convicted of murder for ordering his troops to shoot at three Afghans, killing two. "Hot seat" of the Pentagon Mr. Hegseth will take over the position of US Secretary of Defense in the context of global crises. Mr. Hegseth will lead the Pentagon when conflicts are erupting on many fronts, including the Russia-Ukraine war, attacks by Iranian proxy forces in the Middle East, moves to push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as growing concerns about the close relationship between Russia and North Korea. President-elect Trump said that Mr. Hegseth's selection as Secretary of Defense will make America's enemies "wary". "Our military will be great again and America will never back down," Mr. Trump affirmed. Hegseth's selection is outside the traditional norms of a defense secretary, but he has been a staunch supporter of Trump during his first term, championing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, supporting his "America First" agenda, trying to bring US troops home and taking a proactive approach to dealing with convicted veterans. Once selected by the president-elect, Hegseth's position will need to be confirmed by the Senate. Under the US Constitution, the Senate approves presidential nominations for senior positions, such as in the cabinet and judiciary. While running the Pentagon is considered a key job in any administration, the defense secretary has been a volatile position during Trump's first term. Five people have held the hot seat during his four years in office. Trump's relationships with civilian and military leaders during his first years in office were fraught. They struggle to contain, or even simply interpret, social media comments and presidential statements that leave them surprised by abrupt policy decisions for which they are unprepared.

According to Reuters, Politico, AFP/Dantri.con.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/nguoi-duoc-ong-trump-chon-mat-gui-vang-cho-ghe-nong-lau-nam-goc-20241113103209270.htm