Donald Trump's nomination of Fox and Friends co-host Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense surprised not just those in the media, but also Hegseth's old acquaintances from his time in the military, according to a Washington Post report.
Trump nominated Hegseth to head the Pentagon, despite the fact that Hegseth has never held a leadership role comparable to the scope of the position. Hegseth's nomination has also been bogged down by an allegation of sexual assault years ago.
The Post looked into Hegseth's connections to a past war crimes case involving those close to him. While he wasn't involved in that case, it is considered a "formative experience" that "appears to have influenced his advocacy for troops accused of war crimes," the outlet reported.
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The Post's reporting, based on "interviews with eight people familiar with that time in his life, along with a review of military documents and past media accounts," reveals key quotes from those who knew Hegseth.
According to the report, some who were interviewed noted what they perceived as his political ambitions.
"He deployed in 2004 first to Guantánamo Bay, the U.S. detention facility in Cuba that at the time housed hundreds of 9/11 suspects and combatants in the war on terrorism. After returning to Wall Street for a brief interlude, he volunteered for an assignment to Iraq in 2005, landing a slot as a platoon leader overseeing about 40 men in the brigade’s Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment," according to the report. "One former officer who served with Hegseth said he was surprised to see a National Guard member taking on such a role. He surmised that Hegseth probably wanted to run for office someday and thought a combat tour could help, the former officer said."
The surprises didn't end there. When Trump nominated Hegseth for the key Department of Defense role, those who knew Hegseth reportedly touched bases to express such shock.
"The former Army officer who served with Hegseth in Iraq said he believes he has latched on to 'populist scenarios' in a quest for personal gain. When news of Hegseth’s potential nomination emerged, old acquaintances from those days got back in touch with one another, the former officer said," the report states. "One text he received especially stood out. All it said: 'WTF?'"