Trump Weighs DeSantis as Pentagon Chief Option Instead of Hegseth
Pete Hegseth, who has been nominated by Trump for the position, stated on Wednesday that he has no plans to reject his nomination.
According to a source familiar with the transition, the Trump team is contemplating Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a potential alternative for leading the U.S. Department of Defense, as scrutiny arises around current nominee Pete Hegseth, as reported by The Epoch Times.
This confirmation aligns with earlier reports from the Associated Press and other media as Hegseth comes under fire for allegations of sexual assault and past alcohol use. Hegseth, a former Army National Guard officer and ex-director of several veterans organizations, has rejected these allegations.
In his conversation with reporters on Wednesday, Hegseth mentioned that he spoke with President-elect Donald Trump in the morning, who advised him to “keep fighting.”
Hegseth reiterated that Trump expressed his full support, saying, “I’m behind you all the way.”
The defense secretary nominee emphasized that he does not intend to withdraw from the nomination process, which requires Senate approval for his appointment.
Related Stories
“Speak to those who served alongside me in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, Afghanistan, or in the National Guard. Their support means everything to me. I have never shied away from a confrontation and will not do so now. I am thankful to President-elect Trump for selecting me as head of the Defense Department, and I eagerly anticipate a straightforward confirmation hearing with our esteemed senators—not a media spectacle.”
Hegseth has been proactive in meeting individually with lawmakers.
On December 3, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) remarked that some reports concerning Hegseth were troubling. He expressed to CBS News his commitment to ensuring that “every young woman joining the military feels respected and welcomed.”
The following day, after reviewing Hegseth’s op-ed, Graham acknowledged that Hegseth still had the opportunity to present his case.
“For the sake of fundamental fairness, that is necessary. While I believe Pete deserves the chance to defend himself, it is equally fair that those making accusations come forward and substantiate their claims under oath.”
Several legislators have expressed their support for Hegseth, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) also expressed his endorsement for Hegseth on December 2.
Hegseth is among the several veterans that Trump has nominated for his administration, having served as a major in the Army National Guard. He was deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and was most recently a host on Fox News.
DeSantis served in the Navy from 2004 to 2010, providing legal counsel to a SEAL Commander stationed in Iraq. As governor, he has established the Florida State Guard and led various operations with the Florida National Guard, which included missions to Texas to support Governor Greg Abbott in securing the southern border.
DeSantis and Trump were last seen together on December 3 in West Palm Beach, attending a ceremony honoring three fallen sheriff’s deputies. The discussion of the secretary of defense position on that occasion remains unclear.
In 2018, DeSantis received Trump’s endorsement for Florida governor. Their relationship became competitive when DeSantis announced his intention to run against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in the recent election.
Should DeSantis be nominated as the new defense secretary, he would become the tenth Floridian selected by Trump for his administration and the second from the larger Tampa Bay Area to be appointed to his Cabinet, following Pam Bondi. Two of the aforementioned ten—former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister—have withdrawn their names from consideration for their respective posts as U.S. attorney general and the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
If appointed as defense secretary, DeSantis would need to resign from his position as governor to take on this role. His second and final term as governor runs until 2026.
Spokespeople for both the governor and president-elect did not respond to The Epoch Times’ inquiries by the time of publication.
The Associated Press and Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
