Former Fox star confirmed to lead DoD

Subscribe to NewscastStudio for the latest news, project case studies and product announcements in broadcast technology, creative design and engineering delivered to your inbox.
The U.S. Senate narrowly approved Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, former Fox personality Pete Hegseth.
The vote, which was Jan. 24, 2025, ended up in a 50-50 tie, with three Republicans opposing the nom. In the end, J.D. Vance had to utilize his constitutional tie-breaking vote to slide the nomination through.
Hegseth, who was one of Trump’s many controversial cabinet-level and other key picks for top leadership roles, has served in the Air National Guard, including in combat, but has no experience leading organizations as large as the Pentagon.
He has also been accused of public drunkenness while in uniform, which would likely be in violation of military code, sexual assault and physical and emotional abuse of his former spouses. Hegseth has denied all of the accusations, which were also brought up during his early confirmation hearings, repeatedly label each claim as an “anonymous smear.”
Hegseth also has experience leading veteran charities, though his tenures at both organizations were marked with what many have labeled as poor management leading to financial issues for the charities. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing associated with his leadership roles.
During his tenure hosting “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Hegseth became known as a vocal conservative and strong Trump supporter. He has dispelled a variety of controversial statements on the network.
His current wife, the latest of three, is a producer at the network. According to required ethics and financial disclosures filed ahead of his hearings, Hegseth was paid over $4 million by Fox over the course of two years. His wife’s earnings were not included on the report, though spouses’ income and assets falls under different disclosure rules.
Hegseth himself also collections tens of thousands of dollars in honorariums for various appearances and speaking engagements, most of which were done for conservative or religious organizations. He has also collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in book advances and royalties.
Republicans have largely supported Hegseth as an ideal pick to lead the Senate, citing his experience working with veterans and service in the guard.
Subscribe to NewscastStudio for the latest news, project case studies and product announcements in broadcast technology, creative design and engineering delivered to your inbox.
tags
Donald Trump Second Term, Fox News, Pete Hegseth
categories
Broadcast Industry News, Cable News, People