Washington, DC – US President Donald Trump asserted that it is still too early to discuss his potential successor in the White House and the “Make America Great Again” movement. He also avoided commenting on speculation regarding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s potential 2028 presidential campaign.
Trump’s stance on the congressional elections and his successor
In remarks to reporters in the Oval Office, responding to NBC News reports that Defense Secretary James Hegseth was discussing a possible presidential run, Trump said Hegseth was doing “a fantastic job, but it’s far too early to talk about that.” Trump added, “We have to get through the midterms first,” referring to the fierce battle the Republican Party is facing to maintain its majorities in both houses of Congress in November.
Trump, whose presidential term is limited to two terms, has not officially named a successor after he leaves office in 2029. But he has encouraged supporters of both Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to run. Trump said, “I bet there are a lot of people thinking about running that you don’t know about… Right now, all he loves, all he cares about, is the military and taking care of the military.”
Hegseth’s denial and Trump’s election support
For his part, the Secretary of Defense, a former National Guard member and former Fox News host, quickly dismissed the report about his presidential ambitions as “100% false” in a social media post. He emphasized that his focus remains entirely on his duties at the Pentagon. This controversy comes amidst his political activity, which included appearances in Iowa. Meanwhile, Trump continued to strongly support Republican candidates in the ongoing primaries. In a post on TruthSocial, he asserted his significant political influence in the selection of the party’s nominees.
