In a series of announcements, Trump said he had chosen former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel and his longtime friend Steven Witkoff as special envoy for the Middle East.
Trump also named Bill McGinley, his cabinet secretary in his first administration, as his White House counsel.
Trump is rolling out a steady stream of appointments and nominees for his incoming administration, working so far at a faster pace and without as much drama as his first transition after his 2016 victory.
His selection of Hegseth, who lacks senior military or military or national security experience, is sure to raise questions about his qualifications to lead the department.
Hegseth, 44, is a Fox News Channel anchor Fox & Friends weekend and has been a contributor to the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who appeared regularly on the show.
If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — from Russia’s war in Ukraine and ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to cease-fire efforts between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating concerns about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.
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Hegseth is also an author War Against Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the People Who Set Us Free published earlier this year.
The book, according to its promotion, combines “his own wartime experiences, stories of rage and a shrewd look at how the chain of command has become so twisted,” and is presented as “the key to saving our warriors—and winning future wars.”
While the Pentagon is considered a key coveted post in any administration, the secretary of defense has been a tumultuous place during Trump’s first term.
Five men held the job during his four years only to resign, be fired or serve briefly as a replacement.
Only two of them were confirmed by the Senate.
Trump’s relationship with his civilian and military leaders during those years was fraught with tension, confusion and frustration as they struggled to calm or even simply interpret presidential tweets and statements that blindsided them with rash policy decisions they were unprepared to explain or defend.
Many of the generals who served in his first administration – both active duty and retired – harshly called him unfit to serve in the Oval Office, and he condemned them in turn.
Hegseth was an infantry captain in the National Guard and served overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
He previously headed Concerned Veterans for America, a group backed by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, and ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota Senate in 2012.
“With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on alert — our military will be great again and America will never back down,” Trump said in a statement.
“No one fights harder for the troops, and Pete will be a brave and patriotic supporter of our ‘Peace Through Strength’ policy.”
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Hegseth has “an excellent background as a junior officer, but he doesn’t have the more national security experience secretaries need,” said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“I think Trump is tired of fighting with his defense secretaries and has chosen one who will be loyal to him.”
Cancian said the lack of experience could make it difficult for Hegseth to win Senate confirmation.
Ratcliffe, a former Republican congressman from Texas, was director of national intelligence in the final months of Trump’s first term, leading the US government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic.
He is a more traditional pick for the role, which requires Senate confirmation, than some of the rumors being pushed by some of Trump’s supporters.
Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel, and his intended nomination comes after Trump promised to align US foreign policy more closely with Israel’s interests as it wages wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Witkoff is a Florida real estate developer who chairs Trump’s inaugural committee.
He also spent time in the world of real estate in New York, where Trump first rose to fame as a public figure.
As director of intelligence, Ratcliffe was criticized by Democrats for declassifying alleged damaging Russian intelligence information about Democrats during the 2016 race in the final days of the 2020 presidential election, even though he acknowledged it may not be true.
Ratcliffe’s visibility rose when in 2019 he emerged as an ardent defender of Trump during the first impeachment trial against him in the House of Representatives.
He was a member of Trump’s impeachment advisory team and extensively questioned witnesses during the impeachment hearings.
After the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump, Ratcliffe said, “This is the thinnest, fastest, weakest impeachment our country has ever seen.”
He also forcefully questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller when he testified before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“I look forward to John being the first person to serve in both of our nation’s highest intelligence posts,” Trump said in a statement.
“He will be a fearless fighter for the constitutional rights of all Americans while ensuring the highest level of national security and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”
Huckabee has led paid group visits to Israel for years, often advertising the trips in conservative-leaning newspapers.
“Mike has been a great public servant, governor and faith leader for many years,” Trump said in a statement.
“He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring peace to the Middle East!”
David Friedman, who was Trump’s ambassador to Israel in his first term, said he was “thrilled” with Trump’s selection of Huckabee.
Trump’s transition team did not offer specifics on the Middle East envoy’s role, but Trump said in a statement: “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE and make us all proud.”
The selection of Witkoff follows a pattern for Trump of placing people close to him in key roles in the Middle East portfolio.
Eight years ago, he appointed his former corporate lawyer Jason Greenblatt as his special representative for international negotiations and relied on his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as his personal envoy for talks in the region.