Official announcement from the White House or Department of Defense

Trump May Replace Hegseth with DeSantis as Defense Secretary; Hegseth Vows to 'Keep Fighting'

Dec 4, 2024, 02:38 PM

President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering replacing his Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis amid allegations of misconduct against Hegseth. Multiple sources, including CBS and the Wall Street Journal, indicate that Trump discussed the possibility of appointing DeSantis during a recent event. Despite these reports, Hegseth has stated that he does not intend to withdraw his nomination and that Trump has encouraged him to "keep fighting" for confirmation. "I spoke to the President-elect this morning. He said keep going, keep fighting. I'm behind you all the way," Hegseth told reporters while meeting with senators at the U.S. Capitol. "Why would I back down? I've always been a fighter," he added. Supporters of Hegseth, including Senator Rick Scott, have publicly defended him.