President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering replacing his defense secretary nomination of Pete Hegseth with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL).
Citing people familiar with internal discussions, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump’s team isn’t confident that Hegseth’s nomination will survive further scrutiny. DeSantis was on the shortlist during the first deliberations and is now reportedly one of the top choices.
A person familiar with the matter said that the idea was presented to DeSantis in recent days, though they didn’t disclose his reaction. Notably, Trump and DeSantis jointly attended a memorial service for fallen law enforcement officers in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday.
The decision to pick DeSantis if Hegseth’s nomination falls through hasn’t been solidified yet, however, with other options being presented.
DeSantis was a major Trump ally until the 2024 primaries when the Florida governor ran a primary campaign against him. What ensued was a bitter battle that soured relations and saw Trump emerge triumphant. The two have since worked to bury the hatchet.
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After former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz dropped out as Trump’s attorney general nomination, scrutiny turned to Hegseth. Reports emerged of past sexual assault allegations, financial mismanagement, and a penchant for rowdy behavior. Scrutiny reached a fever pitch on Sunday when the New Yorker published an article based on a whistleblower’s seven-page report detailing numerous allegations against Hegseth while he served as the president of Concerned Veterans for America from 2013 to 2016.
Trump’s team has publicly stood by him, decrying the accusations as false and politically motivated.