Pete Hegseth is forcefully denying a report that he has been discussing a possible 2028 presidential campaign.
NBC News reported Friday that Hegseth, identified in the source article as secretary of war, had talked about a potential White House run. The report cited anonymous sources, according to summaries of the paywall-protected article.
Hegseth rejected the story in a post on X.
“100% false,” he wrote, according to the source material. “We told NBC that, but they just lie w/ anonymous ‘sources.’ My only job: Make @DeptofWar Great Again.”
He added, “Carry on Patriots, and enjoy your Friday night.”
NBC Report Cited Private Discussions
Mediaite summarized NBC’s report as saying Hegseth and his wife, Jennifer, had discussed the idea of a presidential run with friends. NBC reportedly cited two people familiar with those discussions.
The speculation followed Hegseth’s mid-August trip to the Iowa State Fair, where he campaigned for Republican Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa, according to the source article.
The Pentagon also pushed back on NBC’s report.
“Secretary Hegseth is not running for president, and his main priority is leading the War Department,” the Pentagon said in a statement quoted by the source article. “All other speculation is foolish.”
Operatives Split on the Idea
NBC’s report also included mixed assessments of Hegseth as a potential candidate.
One operative quoted by NBC said Hegseth was “good for men, for base voters” and “encapsulates that masculinity that Trump captured in 2024.” Another source told NBC that “MAGA really loves Hegseth,” but said he would need “to deliver the goods.”
“If you want to be secretary of war, you’ve got to win wars,” the operative said, according to NBC.
American Conservative Union chairman Matt Schlapp offered a more favorable view, telling NBC, “Pete Hegseth should consider running for president. He’s an impressive guy and has a tremendous amount of energy.”
2028 Speculation Was Already Brewing
The NBC report is not the first time Hegseth’s possible future in electoral politics has been raised.
The Washington Post reported earlier this month, as Hegseth was heading to Iowa, that officials familiar with his thinking believed he was considering a run for president or another political office after his time in the Trump administration.
If Hegseth were to enter a future presidential contest, the source article noted that he could potentially face other Trump administration figures, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
For now, Hegseth’s public position is clear: He says the 2028 report is false.
