Exclusive-US military academies should not use race in admissions, Trump's Pentagon pick says

FILE PHOTO: Pete Hegseth, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of defense, testifies before a Senate Committee on Armed Services confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 14, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, has told lawmakers that he opposes the use of race as a factor when evaluating candidates for elite U.S. military academies, according to a document reviewed by Reuters.

Hegseth's remarks, which have not been previously reported and which are more explicit than those at his Jan. 14 confirmation hearing, suggest he could quickly move to strike down a policy designed to encourage diversity in the military's officer corps.