Donald Trump has officially taken office as the 46th US President and the US Senate is continuing to confirm his nominees for key positions in the new administration.
Last week, the US Senators cast their votes for Pete Hegseth, Trump’s contentious nominee for Defense Secretary. In the end, the nomination required the vote of Vice President J.D. Vance, who has supported Hegseth’s candidacy. Hegseth was sworn in as Defense Secretary on Saturday.
The new Pentagon chief faces numerous unresolved issues, according to Vance in an interview with CBS. “I think Hegseth is a disruptor and many people don’t like that”Vance said. He emphasized the need for reform within the US Defense Department, particularly in the areas of recruitment and procurement of new combat jets and equipment.
Vance reaffirmed the necessity of change in the Defense Department, which has inherited a country that has “fought many wars over the past 40 years, but has not won a single one.”The US has become entangled in many conflicts, Vance said, “We’ve gotten into too many wars without a plan to win them.”This is expected to change with Hegseth’s leadership.
Pete Hegseth, a Republican, is a National Guard officer and a former Fox News moderator. He was decorated for his military service, including in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Hegseth earned more than six million US dollars in the past two years from book royalties, speaking fees and his work as a Fox News moderator, according to a report by the news agency Bloomberg.
Since his nomination in November 2024, Hegseth has faced allegations of alcohol problems, sexual misconduct and a lack of experience for the Defense Secretary position.