Washington, November 12
US President-elect Donald Trump has announced Pete Hegseth, an army veteran and TV personality, as his Defence Secretary, filling up another key position in his incoming cabinet.
"Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First," the Trump-Vance transition team said in an announcement. "With Pete at the helm, America's enemies are on notice - Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down."
This was one of the most closely watched announcements in New Delhi in view of the growing proximity between the two countries, which includes an annual 2+2 meeting of their foreign and defence ministers on the same platform, military exercises between the two sides and joint development and production of defence and related technologies and products.
The other key Trump appointments noted in New Delhi have been Mike Waltz, a Republican congressman who has been co-chair of the India Caucus in the House of Representatives, as the next National Security Advisor.
The announcement said Hegseth is a graduate of Princeton University, and has a graduate degree from Harvard University. He is an Army Combat Veteran who did tours in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan. For his actions on the battlefield, he was decorated with two Bronze Stars, as well as a Combat Infantryman's Badge.
The transition team said further that Hegseth has been a host at Fox News for eight years, where he used that platform to fight for our Military and Veterans.
The transition team added: "Pete's recent book, 'The War on Warriors', spent nine weeks on the New York Times best-sellers list, including two weeks at number one. The book reveals the leftwing betrayal of our warriors, and how we must return our military to meritocracy, lethality, accountability, and excellence. Pete has also led two Veterans Advocacy organisations, leading the fight for our warriors, and our great Veterans. Nobody fights harder for the troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our 'peace through strength' policy."