Trump Picks Pete Hegseth, a Veteran and Fox News Host, for Defense Secretary NYT | Top Stories Helene Cooper and Maggie Haberman 13 November 2024 at 08:57 The choice of Mr. Hegseth, a dedicated supporter of the president-elect in his first term, is outside the norm of the traditional choice for the post. © Sam Hodgson for The New York TimesPete Hegseth at Trump Tower in New York in 2016. A co-host of “Fox & Friends,” Mr. Hegseth joined the network as a contributor in 2014.