President-elect Donald Trump is considering appointing Republican presidential rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, as defense secretary, according to two people familiar with the situation.
DeSantis would replace Pete Hegseth, whose prospects for confirmation appear to be dimming amid allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse.
A final decision has not yet been made, said the two people, who were granted anonymity to discuss internal matters.
Including DeSantis in the Trump administration could benefit the governor’s political prospects, as his term is limited and he will leave office in early 2027, while it was expected that he could run for president again. It would lead to the ascension of Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, who would be Florida’s first female governor and the first of Cuban descent.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that Trump was considering DeSantis. Hegseth continues to meet with senators this week and has a scheduled appearance on Fox News with his mother Wednesday morning.
Hegseth already faced a difficult confirmation because of a 2017 sexual assault allegation and because he has no experience leading a major organization — let alone one as complex as the Pentagon. His prospects have deteriorated in recent days after The New Yorker reported that he was forced to leave his leadership positions at two veterans’ organizations amid allegations of mismanagement, alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct.
Hegseth is making the rounds on Capitol Hill this week, meeting with Senate Republicans in an effort to solidify his nomination. He can’t afford to lose more than three Republicans in a confirmation vote, assuming all Democrats oppose him.
He is expected to meet with several more GOP senators on Wednesday, including the new Senate Armed Services Chairman, Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), who will oversee the confirmation process for Trump’s Pentagon chief, and the new majority leader John Thune (RS.D. ).
The allegations against Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News personality, include a 2017 allegation of sexual assault that was investigated by police in Monterey, California. He reached a plea agreement with the prosecutor, although he was never charged in the incident and has denied wrongdoing.
Hegseth faces enough opposition in the Senate — especially among Republican women — that there are growing doubts about his ability to be confirmed, according to a Republican official granted anonymity to discuss the situation.
He will have a chance to restore his standing on Wednesday with the Fox interview and with his Hill meetings, including one with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, but there is not much optimism that he will succeed, the official said.
DeSantis, like Hegseth, could appeal to Trump’s stated goal of eliminating “woke” military officers from the Defense Department.
As a presidential candidate, Florida’s governor unveiled a plan for the military that would have eliminated diversity initiatives, barred transgender service members from the military and reinstated members who refused a Covid-19 vaccine.
DeSantis and Trump spoke Tuesday as they both attended a memorial in Palm Beach for three law enforcement officers killed in a car crash last month, a source familiar with the discussion confirmed. The person did not know whether the position of Minister of Defense was discussed.
DeSantis and Trump fought a bitter and personal primary battle that ended when the governor dropped out after the Iowa caucuses. DeSantis accused Trump of not being sufficiently conservative and downplayed the role his support had in getting him governor in 2018. The two brokered a truce this summer and DeSantis helped raise money for Trump.
Still, there is some tension over how Florida should shape up after Trump’s election, especially as the newly elected president chooses so many people from his adopted home state to fill his government.
One person familiar with the move said DeSantis’ name was on a list of potential candidates for administrative jobs, including Defense, that was distributed weeks ago, but the then-governor showed no interest. His name was again considered when Hegseth’s appointment came under increasing criticism.
Immediately after Trump was elected, DeSantis said he did not want to join the government. During a visit to the University of Notre Dame, he told a group of students that he was “not looking for anything.” He added that “we got a great job at the state of Florida. … How can I best make a difference? I think given where we are right now, I think quarterbacking the Sunshine State is probably the way I make the biggest difference.
DeSantis’ consideration comes as the governor has to hand out his own political appointments. He is expected to name a successor to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), whom Trump tapped to become secretary of state. DeSantis previously said he would announce his choice in early January and conduct interviews with vet candidates.
Lara Trump, Trump’s daughter-in-law, has expressed her willingness to take on the role, but DeSantis has several Florida Republicans who could be considered for the job.
DeSantis was first elected governor of Florida in 2018 and quickly became a rising star among conservatives for his response to the Covid pandemic and his eagerness to wade into contentious fights over race, education, gender and sexual identity.
However, DeSantis’ political future was at stake after his failed presidential bid. DeSantis has steadfastly told his allies that he is not interested in running for the Senate, even though he once ran for Rubio’s seat when Rubio made his own bid to become president.
DeSantis, 46, graduated from Yale University and went on to earn a law degree from Harvard University. While in law school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served as Judge Advocate General and would eventually become legal advisor to the SEAL team.
In his memoirs released prior to his presidential election, DeSantis briefly discussed his time in the military, where he was critical of the fact that “the burden of post-September 11 operations fell on such a small portion of our population ” and also criticized President George HW Bush’s handling of the war with Iraq.
Rachael Bade and Connor O’Brien contributed to this report.
