Pete Hegseth, the retired military officer nominated by President-elect Donald J. Trump to be secretary of defense, has earned nearly $6 million in recent years as a Fox News broadcaster, author and paid speaker, according to a new financial report. Ta.
Mr. Hegseth's four-hour confirmation hearing in the Senate on Tuesday revealed that these high-paying roles were at times an albatross for him. Some senators on the Armed Services Committee criticized him over past public comments he made frequently on Fox News about issues such as women in combat and the role of military lawyers. He has also been asked numerous times about reports that he abused alcohol, and has discussed the topic in TV appearances and podcasts, sometimes seriously and sometimes jokingly.
The bulk of Mr. Hegseth's income in the past two years came from $4.6 million as a salaried employee at Fox, according to disclosures covering 2023 and 2024.
If he becomes Secretary of Defense, his income will plummet. As the Pentagon's top civilian post, the post paid about $246,000 in 2024.
In addition to his income at Fox, Hegseth reported receiving at least $600,500 in author fees related to writing several books. One of the 2024 titles, “The War on Warriors,” generated an advance of $348,000. (Because payments to authors often span multiple years, it is difficult to ascertain the exact amount authors receive from individual books.)
Hegseth also received $765,000 from paid speaking engagements over two years, according to the report. Groups that have hired him include Turning Point USA, a conservative student organization. Heritage Foundation think tank. American National Rifle Association. and the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Organization.
Most of these organizations offered rewards ranging from $10,000 to $25,000, according to disclosures.
It also includes details about the financial holdings of Hegseth's spouse, former Fox News producer Jennifer Lausche. That includes stakes in various financial funds and in about two dozen blue-chip companies, including Amazon, Apple, Walmart and defense contractor Northrop Grumman.
The report discloses information about other assets and liabilities, but does not say whether they apply to Mr. Hegseth, his wife or his dependent children.
These include Bitcoin holdings of at least $15,001, a rental home in Baltimore, and bank accounts with a total cash value of at least $67,000. They also recorded two mortgage loans, one for a personal residence valued between approximately $1 million and $5 million, and the other for a rental property valued between $100,001 and $250,000. It is something.
