The Secretary of Defense of the United States, Pete Hegseth, has responded this Saturday to the news that attributed to him the intention to run for the presidency of the country in the 2028 elections, categorically denying such plans.
"It is 100% false. We told NBC, but they simply lie using anonymous 'sources.' My only job: make the Department of War great again," Hegseth stated in a message shared on his personal social media.
The clarification comes after the American network NBC reported on Friday, citing sources close to the secretary, that the head of the Pentagon had commented with his closest circle about the possibility of a future presidential candidacy.
This controversy is framed within the intense internal debate currently facing the Republican Party regarding political succession, after the newspaper The Washington Post published that President Donald Trump had privately conveyed to donors of the party his preference for Vice President JD Vance as a candidate for the 2028 elections, while Trump himself does not hide his intention to run again —and even frequently displays the slogan "Trump 2028" at his rallies— despite the fact that the Constitution of the United States expressly prohibits him from seeking a third term.