Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Pete Hegseth
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Pete Hegseth made an impact.
Pete Hegseth is an American author, former television personality, and former Army National Guard officer. According to the input, he has served as the 29th United States secretary of defense since 2025.
2003: Commissioned as Infantry Officer
In 2003, Hegseth was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Minnesota Army National Guard after studying politics at Princeton University.
2003: Commissioned as Second Lieutenant
In 2003, after graduating from Princeton, Hegseth was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army.
2004: Completes Basic Training
In 2004, Hegseth completed his basic training at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia.
August 2006: Joins Manhattan Institute
By August 2006, Hegseth moved to Manhattan and began working at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.
May 2007: Appears at McCain Fundraiser
In May 2007, Hegseth appeared at a presidential campaign fundraiser for John McCain.
2011: Removed from Leadership
By 2011, after Vets for Freedom merged with Military Families United, Hegseth was removed from leadership.
2011: Commissioned as Captain
In 2011, Hegseth was commissioned into the Minnesota Army National Guard as a captain and volunteered to teach at the Counterinsurgency Training Center in Kabul, Afghanistan.
February 2012: Enters Republican Primary
In February 2012, Hegseth decided to enter the Republican primary for the United States Senate election in Minnesota.
June 2014: Becomes Regular Contributor to Fox News
By June 2014, Hegseth was given a position as a regular contributor to Fox News.
2014: Promoted to Major
After completing his tour in Afghanistan in 2014, Hegseth was promoted to major and enlisted in the Individual Ready Reserve.
2014: Becomes Fox News Contributor
In 2014, Hegseth became a contributor to Fox News, expanding his career into television.
January 2016: Leaves Concerned Veterans for America
In January 2016, Hegseth left Concerned Veterans for America after allegations of financial mismanagement and alcoholism.
2016: Published 'In the Arena: Good Citizens, a Great Republic, and How One Speech Can Reinvigorate America'
In 2016, Hegseth published his memoir, "In the Arena: Good Citizens, a Great Republic, and How One Speech Can Reinvigorate America".
2016: Advisor to President Trump
In 2016, Hegseth served as an advisor to President Donald Trump after supporting his campaign.
2016: Brief Host on TheBlaze
In 2016, Hegseth was briefly a host on TheBlaze before regularly hosting Fox & Friends Weekend.
January 2017: Official Co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend
In January 2017, Hegseth became an official co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend.
2017: Co-hosts Fox & Friends Weekend
From 2017 to 2024, Hegseth co-hosted Fox & Friends Weekend, solidifying his role as a television personality.
2017: Wrote the foreword to The Case Against the Establishment
In 2017, Hegseth wrote the foreword to "The Case Against the Establishment", a book written by Nick Adams and Dave Erickson.
2017: Hegseth Confirmed by Senate
On January 24, 2017, Hegseth was confirmed by the Senate in a 51–50 vote, with Vice President Mike Pence casting the tie-breaking vote. His confirmation faced opposition due to sexual assault allegations.
March 2018: Positions Himself as Candidate
In March 2018, after Shulkin fell out of favor with the Trump administration, Hegseth positioned himself as a potential candidate for secretary of veterans affairs, but Trump selected Robert Wilkie.
2018: Hosts All-American New Year
In 2018, Hegseth hosted All-American New Year with Lisa Kennedy.
June 2019: Joins DC Army National Guard
In June 2019, Hegseth joined the District of Columbia Army National Guard as a traditional drilling service member.
2019: Hosts 'Battle in Bethlehem'
From 2019 to 2023, Hegseth hosted the series Battle in the Holy Land and in 2019 the special Battle in Bethlehem on Fox Nation.
May 2020: Released 'American Crusade: Our Fight to Stay Free'
In May 2020, Hegseth released "American Crusade: Our Fight to Stay Free".
2020: Publishes 'American Crusade'
In 2020, Hegseth wrote and published 'American Crusade'.
2022: Hosts 'The Miseducation of America'
From 2022 to 2023, Hegseth hosted The Miseducation of America on Fox Nation, criticizing "the Left's educational agenda".
2022: Co-authored 'Battle for the American Mind: Uprooting a Century of Miseducation'
In 2022, Hegseth co-authored "Battle for the American Mind: Uprooting a Century of Miseducation" with David Goodwin.
2023: Hosts Programs on Fox Nation
From 2022 to 2023, Hegseth hosted The Life of Jesus and The Miseducation of America.
January 2024: Leaves Individual Ready Reserve
In January 2024, Hegseth left the Individual Ready Reserve, stating in his book The War on Warriors (2024) that he resigned over the incident.
June 2024: Published 'The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free'
In June 2024, Hegseth published "The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free".
November 12, 2024: Named Nominee for Secretary of Defense
On November 12, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump named Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of defense. Hegseth subsequently ended his contract with Fox News.
November 2024: Nominated for Secretary of Defense
In November 2024, President-elect Trump nominated Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of defense. Hegseth's confirmation was decided by Vice President JD Vance, and faced allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement, and excessive drinking.
2024: Concerns over Jerusalem cross tattoo caused him to be pulled from a mission
In 2024, Hegseth stated that concerns over his Jerusalem cross tattoo caused the District of Columbia National Guard to pull him from a mission to guard the inauguration of President Joe Biden, which then spurred him to retire from the military.
2024: Publishes 'The War on Warriors'
In 2024, Hegseth wrote and published 'The War on Warriors', adding to his authorship career.
2024: Hegseth Denies Allegations Before Senate Committee
In 2024, Pete Hegseth appeared before the Senate Committee on Armed Services, presenting himself as a "warrior" and denying allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement, and alcohol issues. He was criticized for his previous claims about women in combat roles and for using the term "jagoff" in his book The War on Warriors (2024).
February 2025: Hegseth Orders Funding Cuts and Purge in Department of Defense
In February 2025, Hegseth ordered officials within the Department of Defense to reduce funding on most initiatives. He also began a purge, firing top judge advocate generals and the chief of naval operations.
March 2025: Hegseth Cancels Climate Change Studies
In March 2025, Hegseth canceled climate change studies, decrying the phenomenon as "crap" on social media. He sought to eliminate climate planning from the Department of Defense, but included an exception for extreme weather preparation.
April 2025: Hegseth Issues Directive for Army Overhaul
In April 2025, Hegseth issued a directive to the Secretary of the Army, ordering a sweeping overhaul to prioritize homeland defense and deter China in the Indo-Pacific. The directive included budget consolidation, force structure changes, and the reduction of the civilian workforce.
September 2025: Hegseth Announces Focus on Offense and Lethality in US Military
In September 2025, Hegseth said that the US military would start focusing more on offense, lethality, and violent effect. He also announced an assembly of top military brass at Quantico, Virginia.
2025: Appointed as Secretary of Defense
In 2025, Peter Hegseth began serving as the 29th United States secretary of defense.
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