Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly considering 2028 presidential bid amid denials

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been mulling a 2028 presidential bid, according to a new report.

Hegseth and his wife, who has been described as one of his most influential advisers, have discussed a potential White House run with friends and associates in recent months, two sources familiar with the matter told NBC News, Mediaite reported.

Speculation about his political ambitions ramped up when Hegseth earlier this month attended the Iowa State Fair, a traditional stop for presidential hopefuls given the state typically holds one of the nation’s first nominating contests. During the visit, he campaigned for Iowa Republican Rep. Zach Nunn.

The Pentagon denied that Hegseth — one of the more polarizing members of the Trump administration — is seeking to succeed Trump. A spokesperson told NBC News: “Secretary Hegseth is not running for president, and his main priority is leading the War Department. All other speculation is foolish.”

After the report was published Friday, Hegseth also took to X to deny it. “100% false,” he wrote. “We told NBC that, but they just lie w/ anonymous ‘sources.’” He added that his sole job is to make the Pentagon “Great Again.”

While no Trump administration officials have publicly announced plans to run for president in 2028, speculation has focused largely on two top figures: Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Trump himself has suggested publicly that the two men could be best positioned to succeed him, and he has reportedly quizzed insiders over whom they would prefer as his successor. This summer, Axios reported that Vance had taken the lead in Trump’s thinking.

“POTUS isn't asking, ‘JD or Marco?'’ anymore,” a source familiar with the president’s thinking told the outlet. “He's no longer asking, 'How's JD doing?' He's now saying, 'JD looks great, right?”

In a March straw poll conducted at the Conservative Political Action Conference, 53 percent of respondents said Vance would be their preferred 2028 nominee, while 35 percent chose Rubio. Just 1 percent selected Hegseth.

If Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Iraq War veteran, decides to enter the race, he would face questions about a record dotted with controversies and unpopular policies.

Chief among those issues is the ongoing war with Iran, in which Hegseth has taken a leading role as Pentagon chief. Just 31 percent of Americans support the war, which has now dragged on for nearly six months, according to a recent Reuters survey. Hegseth has also spearheaded a campaign targeting alleged drug boats in Latin America, an effort backed by just 34 percent of Americans.

Last year, Hegseth was embroiled in a scandal after The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief revealed that he had been added to a Signal group chat in which participants, including Hegseth, discussed planned military action in Yemen.

The thrice-married former Fox News host has further drawn criticism for his inflammatory rhetoric. He has said that women should not serve in combat and has frequently invoked Christian language in his official capacity.

Still, at least one conservative who spoke with NBC News expressed support for a potential Hegseth presidential bid.

“Hegseth should consider running for president,” American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp told the outlet. “He’s an impressive guy and has a tremendous amount of energy.”

History has shown that controversy is not necessarily a barrier to the presidency. Trump was impeached twicein his first term and faced four criminal cases before winning all seven swing states and the popular vote in 2024.

The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for comment.