Pete Hegseth
Peter Brian Hegseth (born June 6, 1980) is an American television host and author.
Pete Hegseth | |
|---|---|
Hegseth in 2021 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Peter Brian Hegseth June 6, 1980 Forest Lake, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Meredith Schwarz
(m. 2004; div. 2009)Samantha Deering
(m. 2010; div. 2017)Jennifer Rauchet (m. 2019) |
| Children | 7 |
| Education | Princeton University (BA) Harvard University (MPP) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 2003–present |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Minnesota Army National Guard Individual Ready Reserve |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | Bronze Star (x2) Army Commendation Medal (x2) National Defense Service Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Expert Infantryman Badge Combat Infantryman Badge |
Hegseth is an Army National Guard officer and former executive director of political advocacy groups Vets For Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. The latter, a conservative advocacy group funded by the Koch brothers, advocates greater privatization of the Department of Veterans Affairs. He was considered to lead the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in the Trump administration, but in January 2017, David Shulkin was selected instead.
Hegseth has been active in conservative and Republican politics since his days as an undergraduate at Princeton University. In 2016, he emerged as a strong supporter and ally of Donald Trump's presidential candidacy, and served as an occasional advisor to Trump throughout the latter's presidency. He reportedly persuaded Trump to pardon three American soldiers accused or convicted of war crimes related to the shooting of non-combatants in Iraq. Hegseth, who was a platoon leader at Guantanamo Bay during his military service, defended the treatment of inmates detained there.