President-elect Donald Trump stunned political observers Tuesday night by nominating Fox News personality Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense.

“Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country,” Trump, 78, said in a statement. “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.”

The choice of Hegseth is an unorthodox pick from a field of contenders that included Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who earned favor in military circles for working closely with the Pentagon on defense legislation; House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.); and Democrat-turned-Republican former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, an Army National Guard member like Hegseth.

Hegseth, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been with the cable news giant since 2014, most recently as a co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

6