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Pete Hegseth To Run For President in 2028? Defense Secretary Gets First Endorsement
Pete Hegseth is neck deep in controversy, accused of misleading the White House, alienating Pentagon staff and imposing a religious agenda on the military. None of that, apparently, is enough to stop some in MAGA circles from eyeing him as a future president.
Dan Bongino, the conservative podcaster and former FBI deputy director who left the bureau after just ten months on the job, used a Thursday episode of his podcast to make the case that Hegseth not only deserves credit for his time at the Pentagon but could be a serious player in the 2028 presidential race.
What Did Bongino Actually Say?
Bongino’s argument rested largely on things he said he was unable to share. He claimed to have seen from the inside changes Hegseth had implemented at the Pentagon that were so significant they would shape the military for years. The catch: he could not get into specifics for legal and national security reasons.
“I’m not trying to pretend like, you know, hidden knowledge,” he said on the podcast, as per a report from The Daily Beast. “It’s just things I can’t… I wouldn’t disclose.” He assured listeners the changes were “so profound” and added, “I promise you, I would not make that up.”
He also pointed to what he described as tangible results, including military recruiting numbers and progress in Venezuela and Iran, though he stumbled mid-sentence while making that case, briefly catching himself after starting to reference casualties before pivoting to frame the overall picture as a success.
The 2028 Pitch
Bongino put Hegseth in the same conversation as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, two names already widely associated with 2028 presidential ambitions. “I think Pete could make a significant run for national office,” he said flatly.
To back up the claim, he played clips of Hegseth on Capitol Hill, including a moment where the defense secretary boasted about recruiting numbers and another where he launched into a lengthy confrontation with California Democrat John Garamendi after the congressman described the administration’s war with Iran as a “quagmire.”
That word sent Hegseth into a nearly two minute response. He drew on his own military service in Iraq and Afghanistan to push back, accusing Garamendi of handing propaganda to America’s enemies by using the term just two months into the conflict. He questioned whose side the congressman was on and argued that political opposition to Trump was blinding critics to what he called the historic ‘success’ of the mission.
Bongino loved it. He called Hegseth “a great guy” and “an amazing leader” who had weathered relentless attacks while delivering results.
The Accusations Hanging Over Hegseth
The praise comes against a complicated backdrop. Hegseth has faced a string of damaging reports during his time as defense secretary. He has reportedly been accused of lying to President Trump about the situation in Iran, described as fostering a toxic atmosphere inside the Pentagon likened to middle school drama, and criticised by senior military figures for pushing a Christian nationalist agenda that has unsettled service members.
None of those accusations appear to have dented Bongino’s enthusiasm, though one passing comment at the end of his Hegseth segment perhaps revealed something about how much weight the endorsement actually carries. Almost as an afterthought, Bongino mentioned that Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Lara Trump could all potentially make runs in 2028 as well.
