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(TJV) President-elect Donald Trump is exploring Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a potential replacement for Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. This consideration comes amid increasing scrutiny of Hegseth’s personal history and concerns among Republican senators about his fitness for the role.
Choosing DeSantis—a prominent conservative and former GOP primary rival—would signal a dramatic turn. DeSantis, who served as a Navy lawyer in Iraq and at Guantanamo Bay, aligns with Trump and Hegseth on rolling back what they see as “woke” military policies.
The Journal reports that Trump has casually floated DeSantis’s name in conversations at Mar-a-Lago as Hegseth’s nomination faces mounting challenges. Allegations against Hegseth include a 2017 sexual assault claim and a nondisclosure agreement settlement, which have raised significant concerns among Senate Republicans preparing for confirmation hearings.
DeSantis’s selection would carry major political implications for Florida. If chosen, the state could see a power vacuum at the gubernatorial level, sparking a scramble among ambitious Republicans to fill the role. Meanwhile, DeSantis has reportedly been preparing to appoint an interim replacement for Senator Marco Rubio, whom Trump has nominated as Secretary of State.
The consideration of DeSantis comes despite a fraught history between him and Trump. Once a Trump ally, DeSantis gained national prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic but later broke with Trump to run against him in the 2024 GOP primary. Although their relationship soured during the campaign—marked by Trump branding DeSantis as “disloyal”—the Florida governor dropped out of the race before the New Hampshire primary and endorsed Trump, leading to what some sources describe as a tentative reconciliation.
The Journal also notes that other candidates are under consideration, including former Pentagon official Elbridge Colby and Senator Joni Ernst (R., Iowa).
Hegseth’s nomination continues to unravel under the weight of allegations, including criticism from his own mother over past treatment of women, as well as a sexual assault claim that involved a police investigation and a nondisclosure payment in 2020. Some in Trump’s inner circle remain strongly opposed to DeSantis, which could complicate his path to the Pentagon.
The coming days are seen as critical in determining whether Trump will continue to back Hegseth or pivot to a new nominee, with DeSantis reportedly among the top contenders, The Wall Street Journal reports.
