Trump Picks Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary, But Critics Question His Qualifications — Was He in the Military?

President-elect Donald Trump, per his usual fashion, shocked the nation on Nov. 13, 2024, by announcing his pick for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, via X (formerly Twitter).

Pete, an Army veteran and Fox News host, was touted by Trump as someone who has "spent his entire life as a warrior for the troops and for the country."

The choice raised eyebrows, to put it lightly, and many are now questioning whether Pete's experience truly makes him equipped for such a demanding role. So, what does Pete's military service record really look like? Here’s a breakdown for those who may not be familiar with him.

Pete served as a second lieutenant at Guantanamo Bay with the New Jersey Army National Guard from 2003 to 2005, according to his Fox News bio, via Ballotpedia. In 2006, he was deployed to Iraq, with the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, serving as an infantry platoon leader. As his tour neared its end, he transitioned to a civil-military operations officer role in Samarra.

By 2012, Pete returned to active duty as a captain and was deployed to Afghanistan with the Minnesota Army National Guard. There, he served as a senior counterinsurgency instructor at the Counterinsurgency Training Center in Kabul, according to his Ballotpedia bio.

Pete graduated from Princeton University and received a graduate degree from Harvard University. Trump explained in his announcement on X that Pete is an Army combat veteran who "did tours in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan." Trump cited Pete’s "actions on the battlefield," highlighting the two Bronze Stars he received along with a Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

In addition to his time serving in the Army, Pete also authored the book War on Warriors, which Trump pointed out spent nine weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list, including two weeks at the number one spot. To further reassure critics, Pete also led two veterans advocacy organizations, demonstrating his commitment to the U.S. troops and his country.

"Pete is tough, smart, and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America's enemies are on notice — our Military will be great again, and America will never back down," Trump wrote in his statement. Despite Trump’s strong confidence in his pick for Secretary of Defense, a role that holds significant weight, some people aren’t convinced it was the right choice.

Between people not knowing who Pete is and others being unsure about his military service history, it has left many questioning and critiquing Trump's choice.

X user @Michael S. Freeman, who goes by the handle @Citizen54S, wrote, "Sir, Hegseth has impressive military and academic credentials, but what qualifies him to lead a huge, complex organization? Besides his blind loyalty to you, sir." Other posts echoed similar sentiments, with one user writing, "Hegseth lacks significant experience in managing complex defense operations or leading large-scale defense organizations."

Pete obviously has a history of serving his country, but is it enough to convince Americans he's right for the job? It doesn't seem to matter at this point as Trump has made his decision.