Photo: U.S. Department of Defense / Wikimedia Commons / public domain
President Trump said Wednesday he is not considering replacing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and he predicted the Pentagon chief would be “very popular” if he sought the Tennessee Senate seat Marsha Blackburn is giving up to become governor.
“No, I think he’s doing a very good job,” Trump said when asked whether he was considering replacing Hegseth after Republicans’ midterm losses. CBS News had reported earlier Wednesday that Trump was asking advisers and allies whether Hegseth should stay. “I actually think he’d be very popular if he did that. But I haven’t heard that at all,” Trump said of a Senate bid.
Hegseth, a former Army National Guard major, is interested in the seat and has been campaigning behind the scenes, according to The Hill. Other Republicans in the mix include Rep. Tim Burchett, former Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs and former CoreCivic chief Damon Hininger; Rep. Chuck Fleischmann has said he would be honored to be considered. “I certainly think Pete Hegseth is going to be the guy that is going to have the most weight in the room,” Tennessee GOP operative Monty Lankford said.
How the seat gets filled. Blackburn beat Democrat Jerri Green on Tuesday to become Tennessee’s first female governor, and she is expected to be sworn in in January. Under Tennessee law, the governor appoints a replacement senator, who would serve until the next regular November election – in 2028 – and the winner then would serve out the rest of Blackburn’s term, which runs to early 2031. Blackburn has said she intends to hold her Senate seat until her inauguration so she can choose her own successor.
The speculation comes as questions swirl inside the Pentagon over how long Hegseth remains in the post after the midterms, with House Democrats eager to pursue impeachment when they take the majority in January.
JBizNews Desk | Washington
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