Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reportedly weighing a possible run for office in his home state of Tennessee, raising eyebrows inside and outside the Trump administration.
Two sources with direct knowledge say Hegseth has quietly told allies he’s considering a political future beyond the Pentagon. The 45-year-old has emerged as one of the most high-profile figures in President Trump’s second term, gaining national attention during his Senate confirmation battle and earning political capital that insiders say he may be ready to cash in, NBS News reported.
If Hegseth does step down to run, it would mark the biggest shake-up to Trump’s cabinet since the high-profile exit of Elon Musk, who left his post as advisor and head of the Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined to comment on the rumors. “Hegseth’s focus remains solely on serving under President Trump,” he said in a statement.
One source who spoke directly with Hegseth in the past three weeks said he sounded serious about the idea of launching a campaign. Another confirmed they had discussed it with him since his appointment as defense secretary in January.
The office he appears most drawn to is governor, according to one person who spoke with him about eligibility requirements.
If Hegseth runs, he would have to resign from the Pentagon before making any public declaration. The Department of Defense prohibits employees from campaigning for office.
NBC News, which first reported the story, cited another individual who said Hegseth had discussed the challenge of running his first campaign.
Both sources told NBC it’s still unclear whether Hegseth will actually go through with it.
Hegseth himself blasted the story and the network behind it.
“Fake news NBC is so desperate for attention, they are shopping around a made up story… again,” he said. “Only two options exist: either the ‘sources’ are imaginary or these reporters are getting punked. Secretary Hegseth’s focus remains solely on serving under President Trump and advancing the America First mission at the Department of Defense.”
A third source — someone not in Hegseth’s inner circle — dismissed the idea that he’s leaving his post anytime soon. That source told NBC the claim was “totally off the table” and insisted Hegseth had been “very, very clear” about staying put.
A longtime Trump advisor echoed that sentiment, telling NBC that the expectation inside the administration is that Hegseth will remain defense secretary through the midterms.
Earlier this month President Donald Trump held his sixth Cabinet meeting of this year and addressed several major topics.
After delivering brief remarks, Trump took a few questions from reporters in the room.
A reporter asked the president about accusations that Russia had deployed chemical weapons in Ukraine. According to Dutch and German intelligence, Russian soldiers have used drone-launched choking chemicals to push Ukrainians out of trenches and shoot them. The United States accused Russia of deploying chemical weapons last year.
The reporter noted the Dutch and German intelligence findings and asked Trump, “What does U.S. intelligence believe and what do you believe about the use of chemical weapons?”
As she spoke, Trump leaned back in his chair and slowly turned to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who was to the president’s left.
“Do you know about this, Pete?” Trump whispered as the reporter kept speaking.
“John might know,” Hegseth replied, referring to CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
“I’d ask John, maybe, to discuss it, if you’d like,” Trump told the reporter. “John?”
“Mr. President, obviously, chemical weapons – if it’s documented and it’s used – it’s illegal,” Ratcliffe replied to the president. “It’s against all international laws of armed conflict and treaties. And obviously, I can’t share in this room with this audience, the intelligence that I can share with you, privately. But obviously, you’re not gonna stand or allow for any violations of international law by anyone.”
“That’s right,” Trump responded. “Thank you.”