History of Pete Hegseth in Timeline
Peter Brian Hegseth is an American government official who has served as the 29th United States Secretary of Defense since 2025. He is also a former television personality. His role as Secretary of Defense indicates a position of significant authority within the U.S. government, overseeing the Department of Defense and the nation's military forces.
June 6, 1980: Peter Brian Hegseth Born
On June 6, 1980, Peter Brian Hegseth was born.
1999: Graduated as Valedictorian
In 1999, Hegseth graduated as valedictorian from Forest Lake Area High School.
2001: Criticized Halle Berry's Award
The Princeton Tory, edited by Hegseth, criticized Halle Berry for accepting the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in "Monster's Ball" in 2001.
April 2002: Defended Western Civilization
In April 2002, Hegseth, as publisher of The Princeton Tory, declared he would "defend the pillars of Western civilization against the distractions of diversity".
2003: Commissioned as Infantry Officer
In 2003, Hegseth was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Minnesota Army National Guard.
2003: Commissioned as Second Lieutenant
In 2003, after graduating from Princeton, Hegseth was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army.
2004: Basic Training at Fort Benning
In 2004, Hegseth completed his basic training at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia.
2004: Hegseth Marries Meredith Schwarz
In 2004, Hegseth married Meredith Schwarz at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Minnesota.
August 2006: Began Working at Manhattan Institute
In August 2006, Hegseth began working at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.
August 2006: Hegseth Criticizes Operation Iron Triangle
In August 2006, Hegseth opposed Operation Iron Triangle, describing the deaths of three Iraqi men as "atrocities."
2006: Started with Vets for Freedom
Hegseth began working for Vets for Freedom in 2006 as an unpaid director.
May 2007: Appeared at McCain Fundraiser
In May 2007, Hegseth appeared at a presidential campaign fundraiser for John McCain.
October 2008: Hegseth on Homosexuality in the Military
In an October 2008 Yale Political Union speech, Hegseth disagreed with "Don't ask, don't tell," noting that "Radical Islam is a far greater threat."
December 2008: Meredith Schwarz Files for Divorce
In December 2008, Meredith Schwarz filed for divorce after Hegseth admitted to five affairs.
2008: Supported John McCain
Leading up to the 2008 United States presidential election, Vets for Freedom, with Hegseth as chairman, began supporting John McCain.
January 2009: Vets for Freedom Faced Financial Issues
By January 2009, Vets for Freedom had accrued hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid bills, leading to an internal campaign to oust Hegseth.
November 2009: Hegseth Supports Sending Additional Forces to Afghanistan
In November 2009, Hegseth supported sending additional forces into Afghanistan during the War in Afghanistan.
2009: Enrolled in Harvard Kennedy School
In 2009, Hegseth enrolled in the Harvard Kennedy School but completed just one semester.
2010: Deployed as Counterinsurgency Instructor
In 2010, Hegseth deployed with the Minnesota Army National Guard as a counterinsurgency instructor in Kabul, Afghanistan.
2010: Hegseth Marries Samantha Deering
In 2010, Hegseth married Samantha Deering, with whom he has three children.
2011: Removed from Vets for Freedom Leadership
By 2011, Hegseth was removed from leadership at Vets for Freedom after the group merged with Military Families United.
February 2012: Entered Republican Primary
In February 2012, Hegseth entered the Republican primary for the United States Senate election in Minnesota.
March 2012: Hegseth Advocates for Premium Support in Medicare
In a March 2012 interview, Hegseth advocated for premium support in Medicare, opposed contraception mandates, and supported the Keystone Pipeline, prioritizing jobs over environmental impact.
2013: Graduated from Harvard
In 2013, Hegseth graduated with a degree in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School.
June 2014: Joined Fox News as Contributor
In June 2014, Hegseth was given a position as a regular contributor to Fox News.
2014: Promoted to Major
After completing his tour in 2014, Hegseth was promoted to major and assigned to the Individual Ready Reserve.
2014: CVA Criticized Obama
Concerned Veterans of America, under Hegseth's leadership, criticized President Obama for the 2014 Veterans Health Administration controversy.
2014: Became Fox News Contributor
In 2014, Hegseth became a contributor to Fox News.
2015: Axe-Throwing Incident
In 2015, Hegseth threw an axe during a Flag Day event in New York City, accidentally hitting a drummer from the United States Military Academy.
January 2016: Left Concerned Veterans for America
In January 2016, Hegseth left Concerned Veterans for America after allegations of financial mismanagement and alcoholism.
2016: Hegseth Endorses Donald Trump
In 2016, Hegseth initially supported Marco Rubio, then Ted Cruz, but ultimately endorsed Donald Trump for president. On Fox News, he criticized Hillary Clinton for her email controversy.
2016: Advisor to Donald Trump
In 2016, Hegseth served as an advisor to President Donald Trump after supporting his campaign.
2016: Briefly Hosted on TheBlaze
In 2016, Hegseth was briefly a host on TheBlaze before regularly hosting Fox & Friends Weekend.
2016: Published 'In the Arena'
In 2016, Pete Hegseth published his memoir, 'In the Arena: Good Citizens, a Great Republic, and How One Speech Can Reinvigorate America'.
2016: Described Christian faith in 'In the Arena'
In his book 'In the Arena', published in 2016, Pete Hegseth described his Christian faith as initially "more out of diligent habit than deep conviction."
January 2017: Official Co-Host of Fox & Friends Weekend
In January 2017, Hegseth became an official co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend.
October 2017: Alleged sexual assault at Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa
In October 2017, Pete Hegseth allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa on Del Monte Golf Course in Monterey, California. The Monterey Police Department investigated two incidents of sexual assault that occurred shortly before midnight and 7 a.m. the following morning.
2017: Co-hosted Fox & Friends Weekend
From 2017 to 2024, Hegseth co-hosted Fox & Friends Weekend.
2017: Confirmation decided by VP
Hegseth confirmation as Secretary of Defense echoed the rare 2017 instance of Betsy DeVos's confirmation being decided by a Vice President.
2017: Hegseth and Deering File for Divorce
In 2017, Hegseth and Samantha Deering filed for divorce.
2017: Wrote foreword to 'The Case Against the Establishment'
In 2017, Pete Hegseth wrote the foreword to 'The Case Against the Establishment', a book written by Nick Adams and Dave Erickson.
January 2018: Monterey County DA declines to file charges
In January 2018, Monterey County district attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni declined to file charges against Pete Hegseth related to an alleged sexual assault, stating that proof beyond a reasonable doubt was not established.
March 2018: Positioned Himself for Secretary of Veterans Affairs
After Shulkin fell out of favor, Hegseth positioned himself as a potential candidate for Secretary of Veterans Affairs in March 2018.
April 2018: Hegseth's mother accuses him of mistreating women
In April 2018, Pete Hegseth's mother, Penny, wrote an email accusing her son of having mistreated women for years.
October 2018: Trump Cited Hegseth on Migrant Caravan
In October 2018, Trump claimed that "unknown Middle Easterners" had infiltrated a migrant caravan, apparently citing a comment Hegseth had made on Fox & Friends.
2018: Hosted All-American New Year
Hegseth hosted All-American New Year in 2018 with Lisa Kennedy.
2018: Scouting America Allows Girls
In 2018 Scouting America began allowing girls to join the organization. Pete Hegseth claimed the organization attacked "boy-friendly" spaces by this decision.
2018: Experienced religious transformation
In 2018, Pete Hegseth experienced a religious transformation after he and his wife, Jennifer, began attending the Colts Neck Community Church in New Jersey.
March 2019: Hegseth Supports Benjamin Netanyahu
In March 2019, after Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to be criminally charged, Hegseth described him as a "great friend to the United States".
June 2019: Joined DC Army National Guard
In June 2019, Hegseth joined the District of Columbia Army National Guard as a traditional drilling service member.
August 2019: Trump Repeated Claims on Video Games
After two mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton in August 2019, Trump repeated claims Hegseth had made correlating video games with mass shootings.
2019: Hegseth Describes Climate Change as Attempt at Government Control
In 2019, Hegseth described climate change as an attempt at government control on Fox & Friends.
2019: Hosted Battle in Bethlehem
In 2019, Hegseth hosted the special Battle in Bethlehem on Fox Nation.
2019: Hegseth Marries Jennifer Rauchet
In 2019, Hegseth married Jennifer Rauchet, a producer on Fox & Friends, at Trump National Golf Club Colts Neck in New Jersey.
2019: Father Retired
In 2019, Hegseth's father, a basketball coach, retired.
2019: Axe-Throwing Lawsuit Resolved
In 2019, the lawsuit filed by Jeff Prosperie, the drummer injured in the axe-throwing incident, against Hegseth was resolved in an unspecified way.
January 2020: Hegseth Supports Trump's Threat to Destroy Iranian Cultural Sites
In January 2020, Hegseth supported Donald Trump's threat of destroying Iranian cultural sites.
May 2020: Hegseth Claims Chinese Want to End Our Civilization
In May 2020, Hegseth said the "communist Chinese" want to "end our civilization".
May 2020: Released 'American Crusade: Our Fight to Stay Free'
In May 2020, Pete Hegseth released his book 'American Crusade: Our Fight to Stay Free'.
2020: Airtime Favored by Producer Rauchet
According to "Hoax" in 2020, Jennifer Rauchet, a producer of Fox & Friends Weekend, favored Hegseth with airtime.
2020: Hegseth Defends Trump's Policies
In 2020, Hegseth defended Trump's policies during his first term, including interactions with Kim Jong Un.
2020: Hegseth Publishes 'American Crusade'
In 2020, Hegseth published his book "American Crusade", where he characterized "Americanism" as opposition to movements like feminism, globalism, Marxism, and progressivism. He equated democracy to a leftist demand and expressed support for gerrymandering. He described progressives and Democrats as enemies of freedom.
2020: Authored American Crusade
In 2020, Hegseth wrote the book "American Crusade".
2020: Non-disclosure agreement reported
In 2020, The Washington Post reported that Pete Hegseth had paid his accuser as part of a non-disclosure agreement after she threatened litigative action related to an alleged sexual assault that occurred in October 2017.
2020: Dominion Voting Systems Lawsuit
In Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News Network (2023), Dominion Voting Systems included a segment of Fox & Friends Weekend featuring Hegseth with co-hosts Will Cain and Rachel Campos-Duffy, in which they did not reject claims by Rudy Giuliani that the company's voting machines facilitated voting fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
March 2021: Left Duty at Inauguration
In March 2021, Hegseth was barred from serving on duty at the inauguration of Joe Biden after being flagged as an "insider threat" due to a tattoo.
2021: Hegseth Defends Trump's Policies
In 2021, Hegseth defended Trump's policies during his first term, including the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and the assassination of Qasem Soleimani.
2022: Hosted The Miseducation of America
From 2022 to 2023, Hegseth hosted The Miseducation of America on Fox Nation, criticizing "the Left's educational agenda".
2022: Hosted The Life of Jesus
From 2022-2023, Hegseth hosted The Life of Jesus on Fox Nation
2022: Protested Critical Race Theory at Harvard
In 2022, Hegseth reportedly returned his Harvard degree with "Return to sender" written on it, protesting the offering of classes in critical race theory.
2022: Co-authored 'Battle for the American Mind'
In 2022, Pete Hegseth co-authored 'Battle for the American Mind: Uprooting a Century of Miseducation' with David Goodwin.
2023: Hosted Battle in the Holy Land
From 2019 to 2023, Hegseth hosted the series Battle in the Holy Land on Fox Nation.
January 2024: Resigned from Individual Ready Reserve
In January 2024, Hegseth resigned from the Individual Ready Reserve, citing the inauguration incident in his book "The War on Warriors (2024)".
June 2024: Published 'The War on Warriors'
In June 2024, Pete Hegseth published 'The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free'.
November 12, 2024: Trump Nominates Hegseth for Secretary of Defense
On November 12, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense after Tom Cotton declined the position. Hegseth subsequently ended his contract with Fox News. His selection was viewed as Trump appointing a loyalist with limited experience, surprising officials in the Department of Defense.
November 2024: Nominated for Secretary of Defense
In November 2024, President-elect Trump nominated Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of defense.
November 2024: Email from Hegseth's mother surfaces
In November 2024, The New York Times obtained an email from Pete Hegseth's mother, Penny, from April 2018, accusing her son of having mistreated women for years.
November 2024: Sexual assault allegations reported by Vanity Fair
In November 2024, Vanity Fair reported that Pete Hegseth had allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in October 2017. It was also reported that Hegseth paid the accuser as part of a non-disclosure agreement after she threatened litigative action in 2020.
November 2024: Hegseth States Women Should Not Serve in Combat Roles
In a November 2024 podcast interview, Hegseth stated that women should not serve in combat roles.
2024: Authored The War on Warriors
In 2024, Hegseth wrote the book "The War on Warriors".
2024: Pulled from mission due to tattoo concerns
In 2024, concerns over Pete Hegseth's Jerusalem cross tattoo allegedly caused the District of Columbia National Guard to pull him from a mission to guard the inauguration of President Joe Biden, which spurred his retirement from the military.
January 2025: Affidavit alleges Hegseth made his wife concerned for her safety
In January 2025, NBC News reported that Samantha's sister Danielle had sent an affidavit to senators alleging that Pete Hegseth had made his wife concerned for her safety.
January 2025: Reported payment to accuser
In January 2025, the Associated Press reported that Pete Hegseth had paid his accuser US$50,000 related to the alleged sexual assault in October 2017.
March 2025: Hegseth Cancels Climate Change Studies
In March 2025, Hegseth canceled climate change studies and sought to eliminate climate planning from the Department of Defense, with an exception for extreme weather preparation.
May 2025: Hegseth Begins Monthly Worship Services at the Pentagon
Starting in May 2025, Secretary Pete Hegseth initiated monthly worship services during business hours at the Pentagon. By February 2026, invitations were extended to defense contractors. These services sparked concerns about potential discrimination against non-Christian personnel, and complaints were filed with the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
August 2025: Hegseth shares CNN video featuring Douglas Wilson
In August 2025, Pete Hegseth shared a video from CNN featuring Douglas Wilson. The video included a pastor from Wilson's church calling for the repeal of women's right to vote.
September 2, 2025: SEAL Team 6 Strike in the Caribbean Sea
On September 2, 2025, SEAL Team 6 led a strike on a boat suspected of carrying drugs in the Caribbean Sea, which was overseen by Admiral Frank M. "Mitch" Bradley. The operation's survivors were deemed legitimate targets who could potentially alert other traffickers. This strike was the first in a series against suspected drug traffickers.
November 2025: Hegseth Proposes Eliminating Promotion for Eagle Scouts
In November 2025, Pete Hegseth proposed eliminating promotions for Eagle Scouts joining the Army, citing a lack of "masculine values" and promotion of "gender confusion." He threatened to cut Department of Defense support to Scouting America, banning military bases from hosting scout units. He claimed the organization attacked "boy-friendly" spaces by allowing girls in 2018. The proposal was met with criticism from military families and retired military.
November 24, 2025: Hegseth Orders Review of Misconduct Allegations Against Senator Kelly
On November 24, 2025, Pete Hegseth ordered a review of misconduct allegations against Senator Kelly, potentially leading to recall to active duty for court-martial procedures. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan was tasked with completing the review by December 10, 2025.
November 28, 2025: Article Alleges Hegseth Ordered Killing of Strike Survivors
On November 28, 2025, The Washington Post published an article alleging that Pete Hegseth had ordered the killing of survivors from a September 2, 2025, strike led by SEAL Team 6. Hegseth's explanations for the strike have varied, and legal experts have characterized his alleged orders as potential murder and war crimes.
December 10, 2025: Deadline for Review of Senator Kelly's Misconduct Allegations
December 10, 2025, marked the deadline for Secretary of the Navy John Phelan to complete the review of misconduct allegations against Senator Kelly, as ordered by Pete Hegseth.
December 2025: Hegseth Proposes Merging Commands
In December 2025, Pete Hegseth proposed merging the Northern and Southern Commands into an "Americas" Command and the European, Central, and Africa Commands into an International Command.
2025: Appointed Secretary of Defense
In 2025, Hegseth began serving as the 29th United States Secretary of Defense.
January 5, 2026: Hegseth Issues Letter of Censure Against Senator Kelly
On January 5, 2026, Pete Hegseth issued a Secretarial Letter of Censure against Senator Kelly, who was also notified of Retirement Grade Determination Proceedings. Kelly had no right to appeal.
January 2026: Pentagon Uses Claude AI in Operation Against Maduro
During their January 2026 operation to capture Nicolas Maduro, the Pentagon used Claude AI.
January 2026: Hegseth Asked About Unmarked Military Plane
In January 2026, Sec. Hegseth was questioned about a U.S. military plane attacking a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean. The plane was unmarked and carried armaments inside, violating Defense Department policy. Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson did not deny the reports, citing mission requirements.
February 2026: Hegseth Threatens Anthropic over AI Restrictions
In February 2026, Defense Secretary Hegseth threatened Anthropic, owner of Claude AI, to remove restrictions on AI use by the Defense Department, or face being designated a supply chain risk and forced compliance under the Defense Production Act. The DoD set a February 27, 2026, deadline, citing concerns about Anthropic's assurances regarding spying on Americans and autonomous weapons. The Defense Department also stated in February 2026 that Grok, OpenAI and Google were close to being approved for use.
February 2026: Defense Department to Eliminate Graduate Military Training at Harvard
In February 2026, Sec. Hegseth announced the Defense Department would eliminate graduate-level professional military training, fellowships, and certificate programs at Harvard University, citing "anti-military bias." The DoD would investigate other universities. Opponents argued this could hurt readiness and retention.
February 2026: Grand Jury Declines Indictment Against Kelly; Federal Judge Issues Injunction
In February 2026, a grand jury declined to indict Kelly in connection with a video. A federal judge subsequently issued a temporary injunction against Pete Hegseth's proposed actions regarding Kelly's rank and pension, citing concerns about free speech under the First Amendment.
February 2026: DoD Invites Defense Contractors to Worship Services
In February 2026, the Department of Defense began sending out invitations to defense contractors for the monthly worship services being held at the Pentagon, raising concerns of discrimination.
February 27, 2026: Scouting America Responds to Criticism
On February 27, 2026, Scouting America announced it would drop the Citizenship in the Society merit badge, create a military service merit badge, waive registration fees for military dependent children, and only use male/female designations on applications in response to criticism.
March 2, 2026: Pentagon Releases List of Partner Institutions
On March 2, 2026, the Pentagon released a list of 20 partner institutions, cited by Hegseth as examples of "intellectual freedom." Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger criticized the policy.
March 4, 2026: Hegseth Investigating Airstrike on Iranian Girls' School
On March 4, 2026, Hegseth stated that the Pentagon was "investigating" reports of a deadly airstrike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' school in Minab, Iran, while maintaining that the U.S. military "never targets civilian sites." Evidence indicated that the U.S. likely bombed the school.
March 6, 2026: Anthropic to Challenge DoD in Court
On March 6, 2026, Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei stated that his company would challenge the Department of Defense in court, after Sec. Hegseth declared it a supply chain risk and excluded it from federal contracts. Partners like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google supported Anthropic.
March 8, 2026: OpenAI Robotics Head Resigns Over Surveillance Concerns
On March 8, 2026, OpenAI's head of robotics, Caitlin Kalinowski, resigned, stating concerns over the lack of deliberation regarding surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorization.
March 10, 2026: Hegseth Accuses Iran of Endangering Civilians
On March 10, 2026, Hegseth accused Iran of firing missiles from schools and hospitals and endangering civilians. He also claimed Iran was "badly losing" on day 10 of the war.
March 2026: Hegseth Promotes a Nihilist Cult of Death
According to Jan-Werner Müller of The Guardian, as of March 2026, "Pete Hegseth [was] promoting a nihilist cult of death".
March 2026: Harvard University Announces Military Deferral Policy
In March 2026, Harvard University announced that it would allow active-duty military to defer their admission to the university for up to four years, contrasting the normal one-year limit.
March 2026: Military Leaders Claim War Part of God's Plan
In March 2026, military leaders reportedly told service members that the U.S. war against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury, was "part of God's divine plan" and that President Donald Trump was anointed by Jesus. A commander quoted the Book of Revelation, stating the war would bring the second coming of Jesus Christ. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation received over 200 complaints, alleging violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
March 2026: Pentagon Reportedly Bans Photographers from Briefings
In March 2026, the Pentagon, allegedly at Pete Hegseth's urging, reportedly began banning photographers from press briefings due to "unflattering" photos of the secretary. The Pentagon claimed it was to use space effectively and that photos were released online. However, news outlets reported that Pentagon staffers said Hegseth disliked some published photos.
2026: Criticism as Secretary of Defense
In 2026, during his tenure as Secretary of Defense, Hegseth faced criticism for various actions, including issues related to a leaked government group chat, alleged war crimes, promoting Christianity in the military, and the use of force in the 2026 Iran war.
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