Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reportedly considering a run for public office in Tennessee next year—potentially for governor—a move that would require him to step down from his current role in the Trump administration.
According to a report from NBC News, Hegseth has discussed the possibility of entering the 2026 gubernatorial race in the state where he now resides. However, questions remain about whether he meets the eligibility requirements to appear on the ballot.
Sources familiar with the situation told NBC that Hegseth has privately weighed his chances and discussed eligibility hurdles, though no final decision has been made. Some close to Hegseth insist he has no plans to launch a campaign at this time.
In response to the report, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell dismissed the speculation outright, saying, “Hegseth’s focus remains solely on serving under President Trump and advancing the America First mission at the Department of Defense.”
Parnell added: “Fake news NBC is so desperate for attention, they are shopping around a made-up story… again. Only two options exist: either the ‘sources’ are imaginary or these reporters are getting punked.”
Hegseth, a former Army officer and Fox News contributor, previously ran for U.S. Senate in Minnesota in 2012 but dropped out after failing to secure the GOP nomination.
His tenure as Defense Secretary has not been without controversy. Earlier this year, The Washington Post reported that Hegseth shared sensitive information in a Signal group chat related to U.S. military strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The messages, allegedly posted from an account tied to Hegseth, contained details from a classified email by Gen. Michael Kurilla, who oversees U.S. operations in the Middle East. The leak occurred just hours before the strike took place.
The incident, dubbed “Signalgate,” has prompted an investigation by the Department of Defense Inspector General. Politico reported that two senior aides to Hegseth are also under scrutiny for their involvement.
Despite the White House’s claims that no classified materials were improperly disclosed, the incident sparked internal concerns and reportedly led to a directive instructing Hegseth to end the use of polygraph testing in internal leak investigations.
If Hegseth does decide to pursue elected office in Tennessee, he would join what is expected to be a competitive field to replace outgoing Governor Bill Lee.
