Senate Chairman Roger Wicker Calls Hegseth an 'Unconventional' Choice for Defense Secretary, Compares to Trump

Jan 14, 2025, 02:49 PM

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker has described Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, as an 'unconventional' choice. During Hegseth's confirmation hearing, Wicker compared Hegseth's nomination to that of Trump, referencing Trump's unconventional entry into politics via an escalator ride in 2015. Wicker praised Hegseth, suggesting that his unconventional nature could be what is needed to improve the current status quo at the Department of Defense. Hegseth is expected to bring a new warrior ethos to the Pentagon, focusing on the war fighter and the military's core mission, and shaking up the bureaucracy with fresh ideas and energy.