Pete Hegseth exits Fox after being announced as Trump’s pick to lead DoD

Donald Trump nominated a Fox weekend host to serve as Secretary of Defense Nov. 12, 2024, and he has since exited the network.

Pete Hegseth, who joined Fox as contributor in 2014, has since become co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

“Pete brings a lot to the table. He’s got experience, and I think he’ll be reform-minded in the areas that need reform. So I’m excited about the pick,” said Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson while on Capitol Hill. He did not provide further details about what reforms might be needed.

Hegseth has served in the U.S. Army and reserves since 2003 and has held leadership roles as high as captain in the force. He’s served in Cuba, Iraq and Afghanistan and been honored with multiple awards, including the Bronze Star Medal twice. This is the fourth-highest military decoration for valor and was awarded to 102,345 people during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2,459 of those were for valor). During other conflicts going back to World War II, it has been given to over 1 million service members. 

There is no evidence Hegseth has significant experience with large-scale military management or defense policy; he does hold a master’s in public policy from Harvard, though he pulled an on-air stunt in 2022 where he defaced his Harvard diploma and said he intended to return it to the university, though it was never clear if he followed through or what, if any, effect this would have on his degree status.

“He does not seem to have much of a detailed background in policy. To the extent he’s worked on any of that stuff, it has been on veterans policy, not on DoD issues. So the lack of experience is concerning,” said Adam Smith (D-Washington), a leading member of the House Armed Services Committee. 

The Veterans Affairs department secretary is a separate cabinet post.

Trump’s move to name him to lead the Pentagon came as a surprise to those inside and outside of government. 

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“I confess, I did not know who Pete Hegseth was until about 20 minutes ago,” Smith told reporters.

Since the announcement, Hegseth has ended his deal with Fox, according to sources. He hosted his last “Fox & Friends Weekend” show Nov. 10, 2024, those sources indicated.

“Pete Hegseth has been an exceptional host on ‘Fox & Friends’ and Fox Nation and a best-selling author… for nearly a decade. His insights and analysis especially about the military resonated deeply with our viewers and made the program the major success that it is today. We are extremely proud of his work … and wish him the best of luck in Washington,” the network said in a separate statement. 

During his time at Fox, Hegseth has been a vocal critic of what he calls “woke” policies with the Department of Defense. 

He attracted attention in 2019 when he proclaimed on air that he had not washed his hands in 10 years and expressed doubt about the existence of germs. Around the same time, it was revealed that he had been considered for a role within the Veterans Administration health system under Trump’s first term. He also previously announced that he had advised Trump on pardoning U.S. military service members charged with war crimes. 

He was a vocal opponent of COVID-19 policies during the pandemic and has opposed many policies within the Department of Defense intended to help make the armed forces more diverse and cut down on abuse and misconduct. 

Hegseth has been married three times and is the father of four children. He had a child with his latest wife, Fox executive producer Jennifer Rauchet, while still married to his second wife. Rauchet has three children from a previous relationship. 

Before joining Fox, Hegseth was active in conservative think tanks, including one focused on veterans affairs. He also founded an political action committee, which reportedly raised $15,000. Later analysis by APM Reports indicated about a third of those funds were allegedly spend on holiday parties, which is not illegal in the state where it is registered. Less than half of the monies raised ended up supporting candidates and the PAC’s account was eventually shuttered.