Pete Hegseth
Secretary of Defense
Peter Brian Hegseth was born in June 1980 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He earned an undergraduate degree from Princeton University, where he joined the ROTC. He later earned an M.P.P. from Harvard University. He worked in capital market analysis and served in the Minnesota National Guard.
Hegseth was deployed to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base as an infantry platoon leader. He later deployed to Iraq. He returned to active duty six years later as a captain and deployed to Afghanistan. He became a major and then was assigned to the Army Individual Ready Reserve. He later served in the District of Columbia Army National Guard. He separated from the guard in March 2021.
Hegseth advocated for American veterans with two organizations between deployments. He also formed a political action committee in Minnesota. He ran for a U.S. Senate seat but ultimately withdrew from the race before the primary. Hegseth became a contributor on Fox News.
President Trump nominated Hegseth to be his Secretary of Defense in November 2024. After his approval by the Senate, he was sworn into office in January 2025.
He is married to Jennifer, with whom he has a daughter and three step-children. He is divorced from Meredith; and divorced from Samantha, with whom he has three sons. He is now a Christian.
In the News…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the Pentagon is partnering with the Department of Justice to identify and prosecute those who leak classified military and national security information to media outlets.
Secretary Hegseth stated that tasking authority is being delegated to the office of general counsel to “request and receive all information, records and support across the department concerning media leak investigations.”
Secretary Hegseth said, “Leaked information risks lives; these new tools and processes will greatly assist us in protecting our joint force.”
The announcement came after President Trump’s administration issued subpoenas to journalists to testify before a federal grand jury regarding “an alleged violation of federal criminal law” related to anonymous reports of security concerns regarding the refurbished Air Force One.
