President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly seriously contemplating replacing Pete Hegseth, his controversial pick for leading the Pentagon, with friend-turned-former 2024 rival Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.
The potential change comes as Hegseth, a 44-year-old Army veteran and former Fox News contributor, is facing increasing scrutiny for allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement. As many as six Republican senators have voiced concerns about confirming Hegseth for the Pentagon's top position, NBC News reported. Meanwhile, proposal to replace Hegseth with DeSantis was recently presented to the Florida governor and could now be finalized within days, according to an insider
DeSantis in Favor
The possibility of being nominated as defense secretary was recently discussed with 46-year-old DeSantis, according to the outlet. DeSantis, a Navy veteran, brings similar conservative credentials to Hegseth while also enjoying major popularity as a Republican leader.
DeSantis, who will be term-limited from serving as Florida governor after the 2026 election, however, has not yet addressed the speculation.
During his two terms as Florida's governor, he has largely avoided major controversies. The Florida governor and President-elect Trump attended a memorial service together on Tuesday for fallen police officers in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Similar to Trump and Hegseth, DeSantis has been an outspoken critic of "woke" policies within the Pentagon.
While campaigning during the presidential primaries, DeSantis advocated for dismantling Pentagon diversity programs and cutting military initiatives centered on climate change. "Our mantra on Jan. 20, 2025, as commander in chief will be very simple: mission first, accomplish the mission," DeSantis said on the campaign trail in South Carolina last year, blaming "wokeism" for a drop in military recruitment.
"We also have to ensure that there's good order and discipline on military installations," the Sunshine State governor added. "Having things like drag shows on military bases should not be allowed."
A Better Choice
DeSantis also said that, if elected president, he would overturn a Biden-Harris administration policy permitting transgender service members to serve under their identified gender. He also pledged to reinstate military personnel who were discharged for declining COVID-19 vaccinations.
Trump's advisors believe Hegseth's ongoing controversies—such as backlash over past comments opposing women in military combat roles—are jeopardizing his nomination and making it harder to secure Senate approval.
Should Hegseth's nomination falters, Trump may explore other options for the position. Insiders close to the president-elect say the next 48 hours will be critical in determining Hegseth's fate.
Hegseth has been actively seeking support for his nomination on Capitol Hill this week, meeting with several Republican senators to outline his vision for leading the Pentagon.
Shortly after being nominated as defense secretary, reports emerged about a 2017 sexual assault accusation against Hegseth in Monterey County, California. While no charges were filed, his attorney has dismissed the claims as "false."
Also, earlier this week, The New Yorker published a report highlighting further allegations against Hegseth.
These accusations, made by former employees of the veterans' advocacy organizations Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America, relate to his leadership of the groups between 2007 and 2016.
According to the outlet, two former employees, emails, and a 2015 whistleblower report alleged that Hegseth was asked to resign from the organizations after repeatedly becoming "highly intoxicated" at events and ignoring incidents where male executives harassed female colleagues.
One incident detailed in the report claimed that during a November 2014 visit to a strip club in Louisiana, Hegseth became so drunk that he attempted to climb on stage and dance with the performers. A female colleague reportedly intervened to pull him away before security removed them from the premises.
The report also accused Hegseth of shouting inflammatory remarks during a Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) tour in Ohio in May 2015, including "Kill All Muslims! Kill All Muslims!" while under the influence of alcohol.
An email reportedly sent to Hegseth's successor at Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), and obtained by The New Yorker, accused the Pentagon nominee of misusing organizational funds for personal indulgences. The email alleged that he treated the funds as a "personal expense account" for partying, heavy drinking, and using CVA events primarily as opportunities to pursue romantic encounters while traveling.
