Trump’s allies question why he picks Fox News host for defence secretary
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Mr Pete Hegseth hasn’t served at high levels of the military or government.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
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Donald Trump’s selection of Pete Hegseth as defence secretary puts the world’s most powerful military in the hands of the least experienced leader it’s had in decades.
Political and military officials around the world resorted to internet searches for details of the nominee’s record. One senior European diplomat said his lack of experience isn’t encouraging. A US defence official called it an unusual move to go for someone who had never held a senior position.
Unlike previous defence secretaries, Mr Hegseth hasn’t served at high levels of the military or government. After graduation in 2003 he was commissioned as an infantry captain and served tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Among recent predecessors are General Lloyd Austin and General Jim Mattis, while Mr Bob Gates had run the CIA.
“The job of Secretary of Defence should not be an entry-level position,” House Armed Services Committee Ranking Democrat Adam Smith said in a statement. “I question President-elect Trump’s choice of a television news host to take on this immensely important role.”
Trump’s nomination is deeply consequential because Washington faces an array of security challenges from Russia’s war in Ukraine, to the risks of regional escalation in the Middle East and an increasingly assertive and well-armed China. It’s also symbolically important as the world re-evaluates the place of a United States that has been shaped by Trump’s “America first” rhetoric since his first term.
In recent appearances, Mr Hegseth has made clear that he sees China as the primary strategic concern for the US, remarking in one interview that Beijing was “specifically dedicated to defeating the United States of America.”
“They have a full spectrum long-term view of not just regional but global domination,” he said.
When asked about Mr Hegseth’s nomination by journalists on Nov 13, Taiwanese Defence Minister Wellington Koo said: “We are happy to see any nominations of people who are friendly towards Taiwan.”
While there is a consensus across the political spectrum in the US over China being the top military challenge, President Joe Biden has also provided billions of dollars in financial aid and weapons to help Ukraine fight the Russian invasion and Trump during the election campaign signalled he may not match that commitment.
“If you want to be effective in dealing with China, you need your friends and allies in Nato, as Trump understood during his first administration,” said Ms Oana Lungescu, a fellow at the think tank Rusi and former Nato spokeswoman. “You also need to avoid seeing the Indo-Pacific theatre in isolation from the Euro-Atlantic – because China doesn’t.”
European officials are worried that victory for President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine would expose countries on Nato’s eastern flank to threats from Russia.
In recent remarks, Mr Hegseth has also expressed scepticism about US military involvement in Europe. In one interview, he said he didn’t think victory in Ukraine would embolden Mr Putin.
“If Ukraine can defend themselves from that, great, but I don’t want American intervention driving deep into Europe,” he said.
Another European diplomat said such remarks are worrying and counselled colleagues not to underestimate him. Others said that the nominee’s views are less of a worry than Trump’s own attitudes towards European security. One added that the bloc needs to treat the election result as a wake-up call and to realise that it cannot rely on the US for security.
Most recently as a co-host of Fox News channel’s weekend morning programme, Mr Hegseth has been a fervent supporter of Trump and his views on reforms of the US military to push back on progressive causes such as LGTBQ rights.
Mr Hegseth has also been a backer of Trump’s attempts to do diplomatic deals to resolve global security problems, including a failed attempt to reach an agreement with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un during Trump’s first term to dial back Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear threat.
“We need someone in that job who will be a focused, strong leader,” said Ms Emily Harding, a former CIA officer, who is now a programme director at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. “Someone who will set a vision for a new military for a new moment of strategic competition – a grown-up with long experience and the credibility to make real change.” BLOOMBERG
