The newly sworn-in defense secretary outlined plans on Saturday to advance the president's defense priorities.

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be Defense secretary, gives a thumbs up while leaving after his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

A Princeton and Harvard-educated former combat veteran, Hegseth went on to make a career at Fox News, where he hosted a weekend show. Trump tapped him as the defense secretary to lead an organization with nearly 2.1 million service members, about 780,000 civilians and a budget of $850 billion.

President Trump’s pick to head the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, told senators at his confirmation hearing that recruitment has increased since Trump was elected president. He also said there will be a “recruiting renaissance” after Trump takes office and the Pentagon can rid itself of “woke” policies.

Rarely has a Cabinet nominee faced such wide-ranging concerns about his experience and behavior as Hegseth, particularly for such a high-profile role leading the U.S. military.

The vote came amid concerns about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid allegations of heavy drinking and abusive behavior toward women.

President Donald Trump has worked to advance a flurry of policy priorities in the first week of his second term, while more Cabinet nominees work through the confirmation process. Follow live updates.

So far, three people have been confirmed to Trump’s Cabinet: former Sen. Marco Rubio as the secretary of state, John Ratcliffe as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency and Pete Hegseth as secretary of Defense.

Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon, cleared a key procedural hurdle in the Senate on Thursday to advance his nomination.

At the White House, President Donald Trump said he was surprised that two senators have publicly said they'll vote against his nominee to lead the Defense Department.

President Donald Trump is visiting hurricane-battered western North Carolina and wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles on Friday, using the first trip of his second administration to tour areas where politics has clouded the response to deadly disasters.