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Hegseth Denies Report He's Considering a 2028 Run: What Polls Show
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denied a report that he is considering a run for president in 2028, calling the claim “100% false” after NBC News reported that he had discussed a potential campaign with close friends and associates. Hegseth accused the network of relying on anonymous sources despite being told the report was inaccurate. “My only job: Make @DeptofWar Great Again,” he wrote on X in part.
The report comes as speculation over the 2028 Republican presidential field continues to grow, with several members of President Donald Trump’s administration already being discussed as potential candidates. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have emerged as two of the most prominent names, while other Republicans—including Donald Trump Jr. and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis—have also been floated as possible contenders.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email Friday night for additional comment.
Hegseth has told close friends and associates that he is considering a potential run for president in 2028, according to two people familiar with the conversations, NBC News reports. Hegseth and his wife, Jennifer, have reportedly discussed the possibility for months, believing his toughness, conservative views and appeal among Trump’s MAGA base could translate into a presidential campaign. His recent appearance at the Iowa State Fair, where he campaigned for Republican Representative Zach Nunn, further fueled speculation, given Iowa’s longstanding role as an early presidential battleground, the outlet says.
Hegseth’s allies have pushed back on the report. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told Newsweek Friday night, "Secretary Hegseth is not running for President, and his main priority is leading the War Department. All other speculation is foolish.” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly praised his work under Trump, NBC News says. Still, Hegseth has increasingly appeared on the campaign trail ahead of the 2026 midterms, including a May trip to Kentucky to campaign against Republican Representative Thomas Massie.
A potential 2028 campaign could, however, pose challenges for the defense secretary. The ongoing war in Iran remains unpopular with Americans as gasoline prices continue averaging more that $4 per gallon . Hegseth was also at the center of a controversy involving conversations about planned military strikes on Yemen, which were held on the messaging app Signal —a scandal dubbed Signalgate . The NBC News report also noted these issues.
Meanwhile, Trump’s continued influence over the Republican Party is another major factor, particularly as the president has talked up potential successors.
For now, Hegseth appears to be rejecting the idea that he is preparing for a presidential campaign. His denial does not necessarily end speculation about his political future, however, particularly as Republicans begin positioning themselves for the post-Trump era. With the 2028 election still more than two years away, the field—and the polling—could change substantially before voters begin making their choices.
Early polling suggests Hegseth would be a long shot compared with the leading Republican contenders. A Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) straw poll conducted earlier this year showed Vance with 53 percent support among attendees, compared with 35 percent for Rubio. Hegseth landed 1 percent in the poll and 3 percent were undecided. The survey was conducted from March 25 to March 28 among 1,630 CPAC attendees.
National polling has similarly placed Vance, Rubio and Trump Jr. ahead of the broader field, although the 2028 race remains extremely fluid and many voters have yet to form an opinion.
An Echelon Insights poll shows Vance leading the pack of potentials with 39 percent compared to Rubio's 22 percent. DeSantis has 10 percent, Trump Jr. has 8 percent and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has 3 percent. The poll was conducted from August 13 to August 17 among 1,002 voters in the likely electorate, and has a margin of error of 3.4 percent.
An Emerson College Polling survey last month shows Vance with 39 percent compared to Rubio's 38 percent, DeSantis' 5 percent and 9 percent who were undecided. The poll surveyed 1,100 likely voters on July 19 and July 20, with a credibility interval of 2.9 percent.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Edward T. Cummins .
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