WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump moved Tuesday to strengthen his foreign policy team, announcing he is nominating Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth as secretary of Defense and former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe at the helm. the Central Intelligence Agency.

In a series of announcements, Trump said he had chosen former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel and his longtime friend Steven Witkoff as special envoy to the Middle East. Trump also named Bill McGinley, his cabinet secretary in his first administration, as White House counsel.

Trump deploys a constant stream of appointees and candidates for his next administration, working so far at a faster pace and without as much drama as during his first transition after his 2016 victory.

Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of the show “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Fox News Channel and has been a contributor to the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. He is also the author of “The War Against the Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free.”

Hegseth was an infantry captain in the Army National Guard and served overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He previously headed Concerned Veterans for America, a group backed by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, and ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota Senate in 2012.

“With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies know: Our military will be great again, and America will never back down,” Trump said in a statement. “No one fights harder for the troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our policy of ‘Peace Through Strength.'”

Ratcliffe, a former Republican congressman from Texas, served as director of national intelligence during the final months of Trump’s first term, leading the U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. He is a more traditional choice for the role, which requires Senate confirmation, than some loyalists have been pushing for by some Trump supporters.

Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel, and his appointment comes as Trump has promised to more closely align U.S. foreign policy with Israel’s interests as it wages wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon . Witkoff is a Florida real estate investor who chairs Trump’s inaugural committee. He also spent time in the New York real estate world, where Trump first made his mark as a public figure.

As intelligence director, Ratcliffe was criticized by Democrats for declassification in the final days of the 2020 presidential election Russian intelligence services alleged damaging information about Democrats during the 2016 race, although they acknowledged that might not be true.

Ratcliffe’s visibility increased as he emerged in 2019 as a staunch defender of Trump during the first House impeachment proceedings against him. He was a member of Trump’s impeachment advisory team and vigorously questioned witnesses during the impeachment hearings.

After the Democratic-controlled House voted to impeach Trump, Ratcliffe said, “This is the thinnest, quickest, weakest impeachment our country has ever seen.” » He also forcefully questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller when he testified before the House Judiciary Committee about its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

“I look forward to John being the first person to serve in our nation’s two highest intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement. “He will be a fearless fighter for the constitutional rights of all Americans, while ensuring the highest levels of national security and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” »

Huckabee has been leading paid group tours to Israel for years, frequently advertising the trips in conservative-leaning media outlets.

“Mike has been a great public servant, governor and faith leader for many years,” Trump said in a statement. “He loves Israel and the people of Israel, and the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring peace to the Middle East! »

David Friedman, who served as Trump’s ambassador to Israel during his first term, said he was “delighted” by Trump’s choice of Huckabee.

Witkoff is also the president-elect’s golfing partner and was with him when he was the target of a second assassination attempt at his West Palm Beach, Fla., golf club in September.

Trump’s transition team did not provide details on the Middle East envoy’s role, but Trump said in a statement: “Steve will be a relentless voice for PEACE and make us all proud.” »

Witkoff’s selection follows a pattern adopted by Trump of giving those close to him key roles in the Middle East portfolio. Eight years ago, he appointed his former lawyer Jason Greenbaltt as special representative for international negotiations and relied on his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as personal envoy for negotiations in the region.