Former tv host with military honors picked for Pentagon role faces scrutiny

During the presidential transition period about eight years ago Donald Trump made an unexpected pick: he chose Pete Hegseth - a tv-personality and ex-military officer to run the Defense Department

The White House team highlighted Hegseths military background which includes two Bronze Stars (earned during his service in mid-east conflicts) as key qualifications for the high-ranking position. His combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan made him stand out as a front-runner for the job

The nomination process hit some road-blocks when various personal-life issues came to light: accusations about improper behavior sexual misconduct claims alcohol-related incidents and questions about money management became part of the discussion. These matters created extra work for the transition team who had to deal with additional background checks

Despite the emerging difficulties Trump kept supporting his pick pointing to Hegseths military achievements and combat-zone experience. The administration saw his media background and battlefield honors as strong points that could help manage Americas defense strategy