Peter Brian Hegseth is an American military officer, television personality, and government official who serves as the 29th United States Secretary of Defense, sworn in on January 25, 2025, following a contentious 51-50 Senate confirmation vote on January 24, 2025, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. Born in Minneapolis and raised in Forest Lake, Minnesota, Hegseth is a combat veteran of the Army National Guard, having served in Cuba, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He began his career as an equity capital markets analyst at Bear Stearns before transitioning into veterans' advocacy, serving as executive director of Vets for Freedom and CEO of Concerned Veterans for America, a group backed by the Koch brothers. From 2014 to early 2025, he was a prominent figure at Fox News, co-hosting Fox & Friends Weekend. Nominated by President-elect Donald Trump in November 2024, Hegseth is known for his 'America First' nationalist views, staunch defense of Trump, and authorship of books like American Crusade and The War on Warriors, where he criticizes 'wokeness' in the military and opposes women in combat roles. He has faced controversies, including a 2017 sexual assault allegation in Monterey, California, resulting in no charges but a confidential financial settlement.