Trump's pick of Hegseth to become defense secretary caught Washington by surprise. Hegseth, who appears frequently on conservative media, has expressed disdain for so-called "woke" policies of Pentagon leaders, opposed women in combat roles, and questioned whether the top American general, who is Black, was in his role because of his skin color.

President-elect Trump has tapped oil industry CEO Chris Wright as energy secretary and part of his newly-formed energy council. Meanwhile, there may be new trouble for Trump’s pick for defense secretary Pete Hegseth who reportedly paid a woman for her silence years after a sexual encounter at a Republican conference in 2017.

The Army National Guard veteran was flagged by a fellow service member as a possible security risk over a tattoo associated with white supremacists.