From the perspective of Washington’s European allies, two positions in the presidential administration are particularly important: the secretary of state, responsible for diplomacy, and the secretary of defense, who heads the Pentagon. They are doubly important, not only because of their formal responsibilities but also because of the people who hold them, who are often the president’s closest allies and can influence his decisions even beyond the domain of their departments.
Yesterday, it was revealed that Florida Senator Marco Rubio is highly likely to be nominated as Secretary of State. Should the nomination come through, he is expected to accept the role. With Republicans set to control both houses of Congress, confirming Trump's nominees is anticipated to be a straightforward process. Today brought another key announcement: President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Pete Hegseth to succeed Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense.
Who? If you're asking yourself this question, you're not alone. Even many Republicans, when questioned by The Washington Post, expressed surprise or admitted they had no idea who Pete Hegseth was.
Born in 1980, Hegseth lacks significant experience in politics or public service. He made an attempt to run for the Senate in Minnesota in 2012 but dropped out during the primaries. During Trump's first term, he was considered for the position of Secretary of Veterans Affairs, though the role ultimately went to David Shulkin.
Trump’s relationship with Mattis soured in February 2019. The tension began when Trump unexpectedly decided to alter the principles of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, and it reached its peak with the decision to withdraw American forces from Syria. Mattis viewed this as a personal affront—not only had Trump disregarded his advice, but he had also placed Mattis in a humiliating position with America’s allies. Just days earlier, Mattis had assured U.S. troops in Syria that America would not abandon them. In response, Mattis resigned with a notably harsh letter. Trump later tried to portray the situation as though he had fired Mattis.
Biden’s first and only Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, is also a retired four-star general, but his background is with the Army. A West Point graduate in 1975, Austin served in the 3rd Infantry Division and the 82nd Airborne Division. From 2003 to 2005, he commanded the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) before becoming chief of staff at U.S. Central Command. He later commanded the XVIII Airborne Corps and led the International Corps in Iraq. In 2010, Austin became the commander of all U.S. forces in Iraq, and by 2013, he was appointed head of U.S. Central Command, where he earned the nickname "the invisible general" due to his preference for keeping military matters out of the public eye.
Trump's collaboration with Mattis came to an end in February 2019. The rift began when Trump unexpectedly decided to alter the terms of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, and the situation deteriorated further after Trump’s decision to withdraw American forces from Syria. Mattis saw this as a personal affront. It wasn’t just that Trump had ignored his advice, but that the president had placed his defense secretary in an embarrassing position in front of international allies. Just days before, Mattis had reassured troops in Syria that the U.S. would not abandon them. In response, Mattis resigned with a scathing letter, while Trump later tried to frame the situation as if he had fired Mattis.
Figures like Mattis and Austin are often referred to as "soldier's soldiers" in the U.S.—true military leaders, admired and respected by their comrades in arms.
In contrast, Pete Hegseth earned his officer’s commission in the Army National Guard. His overseas service began in Guantanamo, where he served as a platoon commander. He later deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he trained soldiers in counterinsurgency operations. Currently, Hegseth holds the rank of major in the reserves.
In civilian life, Hegseth has worked on the fringes of politics, involved in think tanks, political action committees (PACs), and veterans’ organizations. He served for several years as the director of Concerned Veterans for America, a group funded by the Koch brothers, who are prominent backers of conservative and libertarian causes. The Kochs' significant behind-the-scenes influence on American politics is detailed in books like Dark Money and Kochland, though unfortunately, these works have not been published in Poland. Privately, Hegseth is married (for the third time) and has four children.
For the past decade, Hegseth has primarily worked as a political commentator for Fox News. From Trump’s perspective, who is famously addicted to the network, this is undoubtedly an advantage. Hegseth’s on-air antics have also played in his favor, with some being particularly extreme, even by Fox’s standards. A graduate of both Harvard University and Princeton University, Hegseth made headlines when he publicly returned his diploma to Harvard, citing his belief that the institution now focuses solely on promoting critical race theory. On another occasion, the future Secretary of Defense suggested on air that new COVID-19 variants were engineered by Democrats to interfere with the election and block Republicans from gaining power, stating, “Expect a new variant every October, every other year.”
Hegseth has also authored several books, with his latest, The War on Warriors, criticizing the Department of Defense and the military for prioritizing diversity over addressing global security threats. He has characterized the Biden administration as being notably weak on national security.
In 2019, Hegseth played a pivotal role in the case of three soldiers accused of war crimes. Thanks to his advocacy, among others, President Trump pardoned Maj. Mathew L. Golsteyn, Clint A. Lorance, and Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher. Golsteyn was charged with murdering an Afghan civilian, Lorance was convicted of ordering the killings of two civilians, and Gallagher was convicted of taking photos with the body of a 17-year-old Daesh fighter, whom he was accused of stabbing to death, although a key witness denied this claim.
Hegseth lobbied for all three, initially making his case on Fox News, where he accused military prosecutors of ruining the lives of war heroes. He also spoke directly with President Trump on several occasions to push for the pardons.
On the topic of the war in Ukraine, Hegseth has remained largely silent. His few statements have focused less on Ukraine itself and more on his firm opposition to direct U.S. involvement in the conflict.
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