Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis will attend the annual Army-Navy college football game with President-elect Trump next weekend, two sources told Fox News.
This is the second time this month that DeSantis and Trump have teamed up, with multiple sources saying the president-elect will nominate the governor as defense secretary to replace Pete Hegseth, who is currently struggling to helm the Pentagon. The decision was made after confirming that the company was considering the following. .
But the move also came as President Trump wrote on social media on Friday: “Mr. Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and strong. Much stronger than the fake news would have you believe.” It happened.
Mr. DeSantis, a popular conservative governor and Navy veteran who served in the Iraq War, fought a fierce battle with Mr. Trump for the highly competitive and divisive Republican presidential nomination last year and early this year. However, the two leading Republicans appear to have reconciled after the primaries, and Mr. DeSantis helped Mr. Trump raise money during the general election.
President Trump considers DeSantis as candidate to replace Hegseth
As Hurricane Milton threatened Florida, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held multiple storm preparedness press conferences on October 7, 2024. (Florida Governor's Office)
DeSantis was re-elected in a landslide in 2022, but is term-limited and cannot run for re-election in 2026, but is “very much” in contention to replace Hegseth, multiple sources told Fox News. spoke.
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Another source told Fox News' chief political anchor and “Special Report” host Bret Baier that it was the president-elect himself who floated the governor's name, and that Trump and DeSantis said Tuesday He said they met and discussed the idea when they attended the event together in Florida. Memorial service for fallen Palm Beach County police officers.
President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, is accompanied by his wife, Jennifer Laschet, as they walk through the basement of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Fox News and other groups reported this week that Hegseth continued to meet with Republican senators to make the case for his confirmation. Secretary of Defense.
Watch: Hegseth hits back at reporters
Hegseth, an Army National Guard soldier who served in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and previously served as a Fox News host, faces a series of allegations of drinking and sexual misconduct. He has denied allegations of abusing women and vowed not to drink “a single drop” of alcohol if confirmed as defense secretary.
A seemingly defiant Hegseth told reporters Thursday afternoon: “This is not a process that will be attempted in the media. I will not answer to anyone in this group. I will not answer to any of you on that camera. I don't answer at all. I answer to President Trump.” I answer to the 100 senators and my wife who are participating in this process. And my family too. ”
President Trump claimed in a social media post that Hegseth “will be a great, energetic Secretary of Defense… someone who will lead with charisma and skill.”
On December 8, 2018, then-President Donald Trump attended the annual Army-Navy football game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
The Army vs. Navy game is scheduled for Dec. 14 in Landover, Maryland. It will be the 125th game in the historic football series between the two military academies.
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Trump attended the game as president-elect in 2016 and attended three more times during his first administration.
