Trump will nominate Fox News anchor and veteran Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense

US President-elect Donald Trump decided to build his foreign policy team on Tuesday, announcing that he is appointing Fox News host and military veteran Pete Hegseth to serve as his secretary of defense, and former director of national intelligence John Ratcliffe to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. .

In several announcements, Trump said he had chosen former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel and longtime friend Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. Trump also named Bill McGinley, his cabinet secretary in his first administration, as his White House adviser.

Trump is introducing a slew of nominees and nominees for his incoming administration, working so far at a brisk pace and without much drama as his first change following his 2016 victory.

His choice of Hegseth, who has no senior military or national security experience, was sure to prompt questions about his qualifications to lead the department.

Hegseth, 44, is an anchor for Fox News Channel's Fox & Friends Weekend and has been a contributor to this network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who appeared regularly on the show.

If confirmed by the Senate, he will inherit a leading role in the midst of a series of world problems – from Russia's war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the dream of ending the conflict between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and the escalation. concerns about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.

Hegseth is also the author of War of Heroes: After the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Freepublished earlier this year.

The book, according to its promo, includes his “wartime experiences, stories of outrage, and a candid look at how the chain of command was started,” and bills itself as “the key to saving our heroes — and winning the wars to come. .”

While the Pentagon is considered a coveted position important to any administration, the secretary of defense was a tumultuous position during Trump's first term. Five men held the job during his four years but resigned, were fired or held for a short time as a stopgap. Only two of them were confirmed by the Senate.

Trump's relationship with his civilian and military leaders during those years was fraught with tension, confusion and frustration, as they struggled to temper or even interpret the president's tweets and announcements that blindsided them with unexpected policy decisions they were unwilling to explain or defend. Many generals who served in his first administration – both active and retired – have criticized him as unfit to serve in the Oval Office and he has criticized them.

Hegseth was an infantry captain in the US Army and served overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. 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.

“With Pete in charge, America's enemies take note – Our Army Will Be Great Again, and America Will Not Back Down,” Trump said in a statement. “No one fights for the Troops more, and Pete will be a brave and patriotic champion of our 'Peace through Strength' policy.”

Hegseth “has a very good background as a junior officer but he doesn't have the national security experience that secretaries need,” said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a US think tank.

“I think Trump was tired of fighting with his defense secretaries and chose someone who was loyal to him.” Cancian said the lack of experience could make it more difficult for Hegseth to get Senate confirmation.

It was criticized by Democrats

Ratcliffe, a former Republican congressman from Texas, served as director of national intelligence in the final months of Trump's first term, leading the US government's intelligence agencies during the COVID-19 crisis. He is the traditional pick for the role, which requires Senate confirmation, rather than other rumored loyalists being pushed by some of Trump's supporters.

As director of intelligence, Ratcliffe was criticized by Democrats for discrediting the final days of the 2020 presidential election.

Ratcliffe's visibility increased as he emerged in 2019 as a staunch defender of Trump when the House began impeaching him. He was a member of Trump's advisory team and harshly questioned witnesses during the impeachment trial.

After the Democratic-controlled House voted to impeach Trump, Ratcliffe said, “This is the smallest, fastest and weakest impeachment our country has ever seen.” He also questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller during his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

“I look forward to John becoming the first person to ever serve in both of our nation's top Secret Service positions,” Trump said in a statement. “He will be a courageous defender of the Constitutional rights of all Americans, while ensuring the Highest Standards of National Security, AND PEACE IN POWER.”

Friend, golf partner

Witkoff is also a golfing partner of the president's nominee and was with him during the second attack at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., in September.

Trump's transition team did not provide details about the ambassador's role in the Middle East, but Trump said in a statement, “Steve will be a consistent Voice of Peace.”

Witkoff's selection follows Trump's pattern of placing people close to him in key roles in the Middle East portfolio. Eight years ago he appointed his former business lawyer Jason Greenblatt as his special representative for international negotiations and trusted his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as his personal ambassador for negotiations in the region.

Trump won the White House in the November 5 election, defeating his Democratic opponent, US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump, 78, will return to power after four years away from the Oval Office. He is only the second to win non-consecutive terms in the White House.

Trump will also be the first person convicted of a crime to become president.