WASHINGTON — A leading 2024 GOP primary foe could become Donald Trump’s military chief.
The president-elect nominated former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary, but is considering replacing him with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to a source close to the transition.
Hegseth’s chances of making it through U.S. Senate confirmation have been bogged down by revelations he was accused of sexual assault, which he denies and never faced charges, and by a whistleblower report first detailed by The New Yorker alleging he had been forced out of leadership roles with two non-profit veterans’ groups for personal misconduct, mismanagement of funds and intoxication on the job.
DeSantis would be a remarkable addition to Trump’s Cabinet. The 46-year-old Florida governor’s presidential primary campaign that started last year against Trump became highly contentious. Trump regularly mocked DeSantis as “Desanctimonious,” while the Florida governor slammed the former and future president as insufficiently conservative.
DeSantis also had a falling out with Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, who ran his first campaign for governor in the closing stretch of the 2018 election cycle but later was booted out of his orbit.
After dropping out of the presidential race, DeSantis endorsed Trump, met with him and was invited to the Republican National Convention to deliver a speech supporting him. The two seem to have repaired their riff, at least publicly, and DeSantis still has a strong following within the GOP after six years of aggressive conservative governing.
DeSantis served in the Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps from 2004 to 2010 and later became a fierce advocate for Trump’s first term presidency while representing a northwestern Florida district in the U.S. House. As governor, he often deployed the Florida National Guard to deal with natural disasters and others issues, including helping with immigration enforcement at the southern border.
The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the news that DeSantis could be Defense secretary, said Trump also could decide not to choose DeSantis and select another replacement if Hegseth’s nomination falls apart.
A combat veteran and former Fox News host, Hegseth would need the support of Senate Republicans to win confirmation to the post. On Wednesday morning, Hegseth told reporters while visiting the U.S. Capitol for meetings with senators that he’d spoken to Trump and that the president-elect still backs him for the Pentagon job.
“I spoke to the President elect this morning. He said keep going keep fighting. I’m behind you all the way,” Hegseth said. “Why would I back down? I’ve always been a fighter. I’m here for the war fighters,” he said.
The Trump transition office and DeSantis’ office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
After weeks of speculation about whether Trump would follow the normal procedures for presidential transitions for digging into the backgrounds of those proposed for top federal jobs, the president-elect’s transition team announced Tuesday that they entered into an agreement with the Department of Justice for background checks and security clearances.
So far, two Trump picks for senior positions have dropped out. Chad Chronister on Tuesday withdrew from consideration to run the Drug Enforcement Administration, weeks after former Rep. Matt Gaetz dropped out of consideration for attorney general amid intense scrutiny about allegations of sex with an underage girl.
Contributing: Charles Ventura
(This story has been updated with more information.)
