Trump considers DeSantis for the Pentagon with Hegseth under pressure over allegations: AP sources
CTV
Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's Pentagon pick, was fighting to hold on to his cabinet nomination amid growing questions Wednesday about his personal conduct as the president-elect's team considers alternatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's Pentagon pick, was fighting to hold on to his cabinet nomination amid growing questions Wednesday about his personal conduct as the president-elect's team considers alternatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The Trump transition team was increasingly concerned about Hegseth's path to Senate confirmation and was actively looking at potential replacements, a person familiar with the matter said. Hegseth is under pressure as senators weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him.
DeSantis, who competed against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, is being discussed as a possible replacement if Hegseth's nomination does not move forward, according to three other people familiar with the matter. They were not authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Hegseth is the latest nominee-designate to be imperiled by personal baggage after the recent withdrawal of Trump's pick to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose vulnerabilities were well-documented. But Hegseth's past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of sexual assault, was not widely known.
Trump's transition team did not do fulsome screening of potential picks before he announced them, and only on Tuesday was an agreement signed with the Department of Justice to allow for formal background checks of those under consideration.
Beyond DeSantis, there have been discussions about shifting Michael Waltz, who was named by Trump as his national security adviser, to the Defense Department, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity about private conversations. The Florida congressman is a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran.
Trump aides do not want to be caught flat-footed in case Trump's initial picks fall through. Trump, for now, was standing by Hegseth.
