Pete Hegseth Is Set to Become the Secretary of Defense, but What Is His Net Worth?

If you didn't know who Pete Hegseth was until quite recently, you aren't alone. Donald Trump's announcement that he would be nominating Hegseth for Secretary of Defense was a surprise even to his detractors. Hegseth has been outspoken about his views on foreign policy, but does not have loads of practical experience, and is currently one of the hosts of the weekend edition of Fox & Friends.

Given that context, many wanted to know more about Hegseth now that he is set to become one of the most powerful people in the U.S. government. Here's what we know about the morning show host, including what his net worth is.

Estimates suggest that Pete's current net worth is roughly $27 million, with most of that net worth coming from his salary on Fox News. Pete has been involved in conservative politics in some capacity since college and played an informal advisory role to Donald Trump during his first administration. While his government salary will not be all that eye-popping, it could lead to plenty of opportunities for personal enrichment down the road.

Other than his time in the Army National Guard, Pete has never served in any official government role, which is why some were surprised that he was chosen to serve as the Secretary of Defense. During his time at Fox News, Pete was reportedly earning a salary of $8 million per year, which would make him a fairly well-paid cable news host.

Pete's salary is likely to be much lower should he accept the role of Secretary of Defense, but it would usher him into halls of power that had previously been closed off to him.

The news that Trump was planning to nominate him has been met with controversy, in part because many of the positions that Hegseth has publicly stated around the military and foreign policy are retrograde or bold, to say the least.

Among those positions is his stated belief that women should not serve in combat roles, and his belief that pre-emptive strikes may be called for in certain conflicts around the world. Now, Hegseth is set to command one of the world's largest bureaucracies, and only time will tell whether he's really up to the challenge.