Tuesday saw a burst of announcements from President-elect Donald Trump as he moves to fill important cabinet and administration positions ahead of Inauguration Day.

Among the picks so far have been some staunchly pro-Israel voices, including Elise Stefanik as U.N. Ambassador, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee for Ambassador to Israel, and Steven Witkoff as special envoy to the Middle East.

Trump also announced his selection of Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, in a somewhat surprising move. Hegseth, who grew up in a Baptist family in Minnesota and served in the U.S. Army National Guard in several arenas, has been a strong advocate for Israel during his time in Fox News, where he also met Trump.

The announcement of Hegseth’s appointment as Secretary of Defense surprised many due to his lack of senior or command-level experience. Hegseth served as an infantry captain in the Army National Guard in areas such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and in Guantanamo Bay.

Several people expressed surprise at the appointment due to Hegseth’s lack of national security and command experience.

Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal, from Connecticut, said his appointment “deserves extremely close scrutiny.”

Massachusetts Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren said Hegseth is “not qualified” for the position.

Hegseth was formerly head of the Concerned Veterans for America, a group backed by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, which advocates for veterans’ issues.

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https://allisrael.com/trump-picks-pro-israel-iran-hawk-pete-hegseth-for-secretary-of-defense