Hegseth, who has been a co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend” for the better part of a decade, has used the show to highlight his views about the US military. He has railed against the Pentagon’s adoption of “social justice” messages and argued that “woke” policies have hurt military recruitment.

President-elect Donald Trump has moved swiftly to announce his nominees, tapping John Ratcliffe for CIA director and Mike Huckabee to be U.S. ambassador to Israel.

Hegseth, who is also a former soldier without political experience, will lead the world's most powerful military.