Donald Trump is reportedly considering Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) as his replacement defense secretary nominee, according to Maggie Haberman. DeSantis, who was initially seen as Trump’s biggest competition for the GOP nomination, had been openly critical of the president-elect during the primaries. Despite this, he eventually endorsed Trump and seems to have regained Trump’s favor.
Haberman, a reporter for the New York Times, explained Trump’s reasoning for considering DeSantis on CNN’s “The Source.” She noted that Trump enjoys the narrative of bringing in someone he had a feud with during the primaries, as it would be a big story. DeSantis was someone that Trump not only beat but trounced in the primaries, making him a conquest in Trump’s eyes.
The New York Post had even touted DeSantis as the future in a front-page headline in 2022, although that prediction did not come to fruition. Haberman suggested that Trump’s affinity for the narrative of people falling in line with him makes DeSantis an appealing choice.
In addition to the narrative, DeSantis is likely to be easily confirmed by the Senate and aligns with Trump’s agenda for the military, particularly in opposing “woke” policies. This contrasts with Trump’s current pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host who has faced allegations of misconduct recently and may struggle to secure confirmation.
Other names reportedly being considered to replace Hegseth include Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn). The decision on who will ultimately be nominated as defense secretary will be crucial for the Trump administration’s military and national security policies moving forward.
