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Donald Trump has discussed replacing Pete Hegseth, his controversial nominee to head the Pentagon, with candidates including Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, according to two people close to the negotiations.
Debates over Hegseth’s fate have developed as support for the Fox News host’s confirmation has eroded among Senate Republicans in recent days as accusations of sexual misconduct mount.
If Trump tapped DeSantis as Secretary of Defense, it would be a remarkable turnaround for the two after they fell out during the 2024 Republican presidential primary.
Although DeSantis has occasionally criticized Trump’s policies, he has been careful to steer clear of any personal attacks on the former president and has defended him as he faced a series of criminal charges during the campaign.
But if DeSantis were to move to the Pentagon, he would lose his Florida governorship, giving him a degree of political independence from Trump that could help him if he decides to run for president again in 2028.
A spokesman for DeSantis did not respond to a request for comment. Trump’s transition team declined to comment. The Wall Street Journal first reported Trump’s consideration of DeSantis for the Pentagon post.
Trump aides have defended Hegseth’s ability to lead the Pentagon even as his chances of Senate confirmation dwindle. A defiant Hegseth told reporters on Wednesday that Trump told him to “keep going, keep fighting.”
He also published on X: “I am doing this for warriors, not warmongers. The left is afraid of disruptors and agents of change. They fear Donald Trump – and me. Well, they slander with fake, anonymous sources and BS stories. They don’t want the truth. Our warriors never give up, and neither will I.”
But Hegseth is losing key support on Capitol Hill amid allegations of sexual misconduct and financial embezzlement at two veterans’ groups he chaired.
“I think some of these articles are very disturbing. He obviously has a chance to defend himself here, but some of these things are going to be difficult,” Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina, told CBS on Tuesday.
If Hegseth were to withdraw from the race, he would be the second Trump Cabinet nominee to be forced out amid controversy. Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, Trumpelected attorney general, resigned after allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use. He was quickly replaced by longtime ally and two-term Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Besides DeSantis, another possible defense secretary nominee is Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, a person close to the discussions said, adding that both she and the Florida governor would have a better chance of being confirmed than Hegseth.
