DossierPoliticsUnited StatesUpdated October 10, 2026
Pete Hegseth
Pete Hegseth is an American government official, veteran and former television personality. He was sworn in on 25 January 2025 as the 29th United States Secretary of Defense, before the department's name was changed on 5 September 2025. He graduated from Princeton University in 2003 and was commissioned as an infantry officer in the US Army National Guard, undertaking active-duty deployments including to Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan. He has authored five books, including the 2024 New York Times best-seller The War on Warriors. He was performing duties as Secretary of War as of October 2026.
- Country
- United States
- Field
- Politics
- Leaning
- Not assessed
- Fact checks
- 2
Fact checks
Record
Controversy · October 1, 2026
Military diversity and social programme cuts
Hegseth publicly advocated removing diversity and social programmes from the military and has faced criticism for his personnel decisions. [1]
Controversy · October 1, 2026
Proposed livestream of military execution
Hegseth proposed livestreaming the military's first execution in six decades, drawing bipartisan criticism. [2]
Controversy · September 1, 2026
Ethics complaint over political fundraiser
An ethics complaint was filed by former national security officials questioning whether his appearance at a congressional fundraiser violated federal ethics restrictions. [3]
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Profiles are compiled from public reporting and updated as new information appears.
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