WSJ (“Trump Mulls Replacing Pete Hegseth With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis“):
President-elect Donald Trump is considering Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a possible replacement for Pete Hegseth, his pick to run the Pentagon, according to people familiar with the discussions, amid Republican senators’ concerns over mounting allegations about the former Fox News host’s personal life.
Picking DeSantis, a 2024 GOP primary rival for the presidency, would amount to a stunning turn for Trump. But he would also find in the governor a well-known conservative with a service record who shares Trump’s—and Hegseth’s—view on culling what they see as “woke” policies in the military.
Trump allies increasingly think Hegseth might not survive further scrutiny, according to people close to the president-elect’s team, which considers the next 48 hours to be crucial to his fate.
DeSantis, who served as a Navy lawyer in Iraq and the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, was on an earlier list of potential defense-secretary candidates that transition officials presented to the president. Trump ultimately went with Hegseth. But as Hegseth’s nomination has faltered, that list has been revived and DeSantis is again among the choices Trump is considering, the people said.
The discussions are in their early stages, one of the people said, adding that Trump has floated DeSantis’s name in casual conversations with guests at Mar-a-Lago, his private Florida club.
Trump could decide not to choose DeSantis and select another replacement, if Hegseth’s nomination falls apart, the people said. Another potential defense-secretary candidate who has been discussed by Trump allies, according to people familiar with the matter, is Elbridge Colby, a former Pentagon official and ally of Vice President-elect JD Vance. Trump is also considering Sen. Joni Ernst (R., Iowa) for the job, some of the people said.
Frankly, any of these people would be a huge step up from Hegseth.
DeSantis’ military experience is limited, but that’s been true of most of our defense secretaries. Still, five years of active service and another five in the Reserves is more than most. And he served on both the Foreign Affairs Committee and a Subcommittee on National Security while in the House, gaining additional relevant experience. And, certainly, six years running one of our largest states is considerable executive experience.
Questions about his Navy tenure, particularly his time as a legal advisor at Guantanamo, raise concerns about his judgment. But, frankly, he was a junior lawyer, not a decision-maker. All in all, he’s a very conventionally qualified pick.
Ernst retired as a lieutenant colonel in the National Guard, including commanding a sustainment battalion. She has been a Senator for a decade, serving on the Armed Services Committee. She has been wishy-washy on Trump, including opposing his impeachment after the Capitol Riots, but did vote to certify the election. Again, she’d be a conventionally qualified pick.
Colby is a rising star in Republican defense policy circles but would not ordinarily be considered well-qualified for the top job. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development during Trump’s first administration—several rungs down the ladder. He’s also squishier than I’d like on Russia—but on account of being a rabid China hawk rather than a pro-Putin toady. Given that the #NeverTrump movement has largely cleared the bench of traditionally qualified Republican defense wonks, though, I wouldn’t hate the pick.
Having conventional people in charge at Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon would be heartening, given the alternatives.
