Pete Hegseth speaks at Turning Point conference in Nashville, 2023

Donald Trump has tapped Army combat veteran and Fox News host Pete Hegseth to serve as his next defense secretary, the president-elect announced Tuesday.

Hegseth, who earned two bronze stars from combat tours, served as a platoon leader at the Guantanamo Bay naval facility and fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a longtime Trump stalwart who was once tipped to run the Veterans Affairs Department during the president’s first term in office.

Hegseth’s selection was unexpected, even among those close to Trump’s inner circle. Prominent Republican foreign policy hawks—such as Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) and former secretary of state Mike Pompeo—were initially named as potential candidates, along with former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a favorite among isolationists.

"Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First," Trump said in a statement announcing his pick. "With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice—Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down."

Hegseth is a Princeton University graduate who also holds a graduate degree from Harvard University. He is known for his appearances on the Fox News channel over the past decade and hosts the network’s Fox & Friends Weekend.

It is unclear how the Senate, which will need to confirm Hegseth once its new Republican majority is sworn in, will receive his surprise nomination.

Trump also announced on Tuesday evening that former director of national intelligence John Ratcliffe will serve as the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In a third statement, he tapped Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a "Department of Government Efficiency."

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