Ron DeSantis has reportedly emerged as a shock candidate to be President-elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Protection as Pete Hegseth scrambles to salvage his troubled bid to be Pentagon chief.
FILE – President Donald Trump seems on Fox & Pals co-host Pete Hegseth at a Wounded Warrior Venture Soldier Experience occasion within the East Room of the White Home in Washington, April 6, 2017. (AP Picture/Andrew Harnik, File)
Hegseth expressed defiance within the face of rising criticism and new revelations as he returned to Capitol Hill to proceed assembly with Republican senators.
The adorned veteran and Fox host mentioned he spoke to Trump on Wednesday morning and obtained a recent message of assist.
“(Trump) said, ‘Keep going, keep fighting. I’m behind you all the way,’” Hegseth instructed reporters.
“Our warriors never back down, & neither will I,” he tweeted.
One key assembly was anticipated with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a trailblazing feminine service member who has spoken frankly about coping with sexual harassment within the ranks.
Ernst has additionally been named as a potential candidate to steer the Pentagon if Hegseth’s nomination goes down in flames.
Vote-counters say at the least six Republican senators are thought-about potential no votes on Hegseth, leaving him in need of the 50 votes wanted to win affirmation. There will probably be 53 GOP senators within the new Congress, with Vice President-elect JD Vance holding a possible tie-breaking vote.
As Hegseth tries to rescue his bid, he received a vote of confidence from his mom, Penelope Hegseth.
“Pete is a new person. He’s redeemed, forgiven, changed. I think we all are after (six) years,” she mentioned.
If Trump decides to dump Hegseth and nominate DeSantis it might mark a outstanding reconciliation after a protracted and deep feud between the 2 highly effective Republicans.
DeSantis defied Trump to mount a high-profile White Home bid in 2023, sparking months of ugly assaults from the previous president, who branded him “DeSanctimonious” and worse.
The DeSantis bid collapsed after a disastrous 30% loss to Trump within the Iowa caucuses. He endorsed Trump and returned to his day job as Florida governor however is barred by time period limits from working for reelection in 2026.
Some Trump-watchers are skeptical that he’ll really bury the hatchet and nominate DeSantis, with many insiders evaluating the state of affairs to his consideration of Sen. Mitt Romney as potential Secretary of State in his first transition in 2016.
After a extremely publicized dinner assembly, Trump pulled the plug on Romney’s potential bid.
