Pete Hegseth considers shock career move as defense chief remains under fire over multiplying scandals
The embattled Trump appointee has privately discussed running for governor of Tennessee while fending off internal backlash, a Pentagon probe, and growing calls for his resignation, reports NBC News.
The rumors over a career move comes as Hegseth receives friendly fire from within the administration.
Among the issues plaguing Hegseth are fallout from a widening national security scanda l, damning reports of dysfunction inside the Pentagon, accusations of paranoia, and a brewing revolt among top military officials.
A White House aide is said to be 'p***** off' and wants him gone, according to two sources who spoke with NOTUS, even as Trump's press team insists the president remains 'extremely pleased' with his defense chief.
The discussions for Hegseth to move on have been described as serious rather than speculative and come amid a turbulent six months in his role as defense chief for the former Fox News host and Army National Guard officer.
According to sources who spoke directly with Hegseth, the defense secretary has floated a gubernatorial bid in Tennessee, where he owns property and maintains a residence.
The state's governorship is up for grabs in 2026, and discussions have reportedly included campaign logistics, eligibility questions, and electability assessments.
While some allies claim the idea is 'totally off the table,' others suggest the conversations reflect a genuine interest in a pivot to electoral politics and perhaps, a face-saving off-ramp from a Defense Department unraveling under scrutiny.
Hegseth's prior flirtation with public office includes a failed 2012 Senate bid in Minnesota, his home state, and several years of high-profile punditry on Fox News, where he became a darling of the Trump base.
The timing of Hegseth's political musings couldn't be more dramatic.
His tenure as defense secretary has been marred by scandal, most notably 'Signalgate' - a national security debacle in which he accidentally shared classified war plans for airstrikes against Yemen over the commercial messaging app, Signal, that included a journalist.
The fallout was swift with The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg later publishing much of the conversation's contents and sparking the Trump administration's first major scandal of its second term. It led to the demotion of the national security adviser involved in the exchange.
Now, the Pentagon's Office of the Inspector General is closing in on a report that could determine whether Hegseth violated federal law by mishandling classified information.
Hegseth and the White House have repeatedly claimed no classified information was sent over the encrypted messaging app.
Compounding the crisis, three Pentagon sources say a damning internal letter written by current and former Defense Department staff is expected to be released possibly some time this week.
The letter reportedly details Hegseth's decision-making style as 'reckless and uninformed,' citing a pattern of issuing orders without consulting intelligence, legal, or security staff.
His critics accuse him of disregarding military advice, ignoring classified protocol, and prioritizing his 'warrior ethos' brand over strategic cohesion.
'This guy has no clue what he's doing,' one military source told the Daily Mail.
Another insider said, 'He's reshaping the military into a cross between a sweat lodge and WWE.'
Among the eyebrow-raising examples cited are installing a makeup studio inside the Pentagon for TV appearances, staging photo ops lifting weights with troops and enforcing a grooming policy to emphasize 'combat readiness aesthetics'
The White House insists President Trump is happy with Hegseth's performance - especially his role in Operation Midnight Hammer, a strike on Iranian nuclear sites.
'As President Trump has said, Secretary Hegseth 'is doing a great job,'' Pentagon Chief Spokesman Sean Parnell told the Daily Mail.
Meanwhile, the New York Times and Politico report continued friction between Hegseth and top generals, stemming from personnel decisions and perceived ideological loyalty tests.
Although Trump has praised Hegseth publicly, once dubbing him his 'secretary of war', sources say he has privately expressed frustration, particularly over the public backlash from the Signal scandal and Hegseth's inconsistent policy stances, including suspending Ukraine aid three times, only to have those moves reversed by the White House.
If Hegseth does step down, Trump has options. Leading contenders to serve as acting defense secretary include Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, a close ally of Vice President JD Vance and Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, a national security hawk confirmed by the Senate.
Both could temporarily assume the role without a new confirmation hearing, sources told NBC News.
For now, Hegseth remains at the helm of the Pentagon with White House spokesman Parnell dismissing NBC's report as 'fake news.'
'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.
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