Key background
Hegseth has run for office once before, launching a short-lived congressional bid in 2012. He sought the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota, but ultimately withdrew from the primary after the state party convention. He joined Fox News as a contributor in 2014 and emerged as a prominent voice in conservatism. He was nominated by Trump to lead the Department of Defense in 2024 and has served in the role since early 2025.
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TANGENT
Vance is favored in betting odds to be the next Republican nominee, with the Kalshi prediction market showing a 44% chance, followed by Rubio with a 19% chance. No other candidate is above 5% in Kalshi odds. Vance has said he will decide on his future after the midterms, while Rubio has said he will endorse Vance if the vice president seeks the 2028 GOP presidential nomination. Observers have noted seemingly diverging philosophies between the two that could become a major point of contention in a 2028 primary, with Vance tapping into a more populist base skeptical of foreign intervention and Rubio harkening back to a more neo-conservative establishment that dominated Republican politics before Trump’s first GOP presidential campaign.
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further reading
ForbesTop Army General Fired After Disagreement Over Kid Rock Helicopter Probe, Report Says—As Vacancies Mount Under HegsethBy Sara Dorn
ForbesStars And Stripes Editor Says He’s Worried About Military Censorship—After Pentagon Fires Him For ‘Insubordination’By Mary Whitfill Roeloffs