Pete Hegseth

And I was primarily focused on veterans' constituent work at first. And that was actually fulfilling, helping veterans get benefits. And I learned a lot about how dysfunctional the VA was and how dysfunctional the Department of Defense was, too, because, you know, helping guys with problems with the DOD. And after two and a half years there, just to be candid, I needed to make more money.

By that time, I had a child. And so a friend of mine introduced me to Concerned Veterans for America, which at the time was run by Pete Hegseff. And I was recruited there first as somebody doing some field work and then eventually as legislative and one of the policy directors. Okay. How long were you there?

By that time, I had a child. And so a friend of mine introduced me to Concerned Veterans for America, which at the time was run by Pete Hegseff. And I was recruited there first as somebody doing some field work and then eventually as legislative and one of the policy directors. Okay. How long were you there?

By that time, I had a child. And so a friend of mine introduced me to Concerned Veterans for America, which at the time was run by Pete Hegseff. And I was recruited there first as somebody doing some field work and then eventually as legislative and one of the policy directors. Okay. How long were you there?

I was affiliated with Concerned Veterans for America in one capacity or another for, gosh, almost nine years. Wow. I was eventually the executive director. And then even when I moved to a new job, I retained a senior advisor role.

I was affiliated with Concerned Veterans for America in one capacity or another for, gosh, almost nine years. Wow. I was eventually the executive director. And then even when I moved to a new job, I retained a senior advisor role.

I was affiliated with Concerned Veterans for America in one capacity or another for, gosh, almost nine years. Wow. I was eventually the executive director. And then even when I moved to a new job, I retained a senior advisor role.

When he was with Concerned Veterans for America, yes, we worked very closely together along with Darren Selnick, who's another individual that left the Pentagon last week. And I was primarily working with him on policy and comms, mainly focused on our efforts to fix Department of Veterans Affairs.

When he was with Concerned Veterans for America, yes, we worked very closely together along with Darren Selnick, who's another individual that left the Pentagon last week. And I was primarily working with him on policy and comms, mainly focused on our efforts to fix Department of Veterans Affairs.

When he was with Concerned Veterans for America, yes, we worked very closely together along with Darren Selnick, who's another individual that left the Pentagon last week. And I was primarily working with him on policy and comms, mainly focused on our efforts to fix Department of Veterans Affairs.

So early on, even before the election, it was very informal because, you know, President Trump didn't initially do a formal transition that you'd seen before, which actually I think in some ways was a good idea. At the time, I may be Didn't understand why, but because of all the leaks and stuff that had hurt him in the first campaign, it ultimately became a much better run transition.

So early on, even before the election, it was very informal because, you know, President Trump didn't initially do a formal transition that you'd seen before, which actually I think in some ways was a good idea. At the time, I may be Didn't understand why, but because of all the leaks and stuff that had hurt him in the first campaign, it ultimately became a much better run transition.

So early on, even before the election, it was very informal because, you know, President Trump didn't initially do a formal transition that you'd seen before, which actually I think in some ways was a good idea. At the time, I may be Didn't understand why, but because of all the leaks and stuff that had hurt him in the first campaign, it ultimately became a much better run transition.

And I think a lot of the credit goes to, of course, the president himself, but Susie Wiles and I think Sergio Gore as well, too, was heading personnel. So I was working with a group of people early on to identify people that could serve in the Department of Defense. And one day I get a call from someone and was told, hey, what do you know about Pete Hegseth?

And I think a lot of the credit goes to, of course, the president himself, but Susie Wiles and I think Sergio Gore as well, too, was heading personnel. So I was working with a group of people early on to identify people that could serve in the Department of Defense. And one day I get a call from someone and was told, hey, what do you know about Pete Hegseth?

And I think a lot of the credit goes to, of course, the president himself, but Susie Wiles and I think Sergio Gore as well, too, was heading personnel. So I was working with a group of people early on to identify people that could serve in the Department of Defense. And one day I get a call from someone and was told, hey, what do you know about Pete Hegseth?

I give a few bullets about what I know about him. And then I call him. Pete. And we, we had not, I mean, we had still stayed in touch, but we weren't, you know, working as closely together as we watched before. It was like, Hey, just so you know, the transition was asking questions about you. And he says, yeah, I know I'm being considered for the role of secretary of defense.

I give a few bullets about what I know about him. And then I call him. Pete. And we, we had not, I mean, we had still stayed in touch, but we weren't, you know, working as closely together as we watched before. It was like, Hey, just so you know, the transition was asking questions about you. And he says, yeah, I know I'm being considered for the role of secretary of defense.

I give a few bullets about what I know about him. And then I call him. Pete. And we, we had not, I mean, we had still stayed in touch, but we weren't, you know, working as closely together as we watched before. It was like, Hey, just so you know, the transition was asking questions about you. And he says, yeah, I know I'm being considered for the role of secretary of defense.

I was like, wow, okay, that's cool. And so a few days later, through Veterans Day weekend, he gets the job, and I start working with him during his confirmation. I helped him during the confirmation, helped him – defend against a lot of the attacks that were made against him, help with strategy. But what I eventually took over was being his main link to the personnel operation.