Will Governor DeSantis become Secretary DeSantis?

Trump considering DeSantis for Defense Secretary

FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports that President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering nominating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for defense secretary if current nominee Pete Hegseth's nomination stalls.

TAMPA, Fla. - President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering nominating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for defense secretary, replacing current nominee Pete Hegseth, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal, which FOX 13 News has confirmed.

On Fox News Monday night, DeSantis made clear he had thought at least one step ahead when he spoke broadly about running a federal department.

Trump reportedly considering DeSantis for cabinet

The Wall Street Journal reports that President-elect Donald Trump is considering Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for secretary of defense. It comes as current nominee Pete Hegseth faces allegations of sexual, financial and personal misconduct during his time running two veterans' advocacy groups.

"You can be the smartest guy in the world," DeSantis said. "You can have all this experience (but) if you don't understand that the institution needs to be reformed. If you get captured, then you're done."

DeSantis and Trump have been allies, and also foes, in the past. The two were rivals in the 2024 Republican presidential primary before DeSantis dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump.

If DeSantis is chosen for the cabinet position, it would mark the tenth pick from Florida for Trump's second administration. Two of those picks, former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, have already withdrawn their names for consideration for their respective appointments.

READ: Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister withdraws from President-elect Trump's DEA nomination

It appears Hegseth may do the same. He faces allegations of sexual, financial and personal misconduct during his time running two veterans' advocacy groups.

Hegseth, the current nominee to run the $800 billion Pentagon, is embattled over previous relations with women and substance use.

Fox 13 News sources have confirmed DeSantis may be on deck if Hegseth’s nomination stalls.

"This is serious," said Bulwark reporter Marc Caputo. "Donald Trump is serious, and Governor DeSantis is receptive to it."

The Wall Street Journal says discussions about a possible replacement are in the early stages, but that Trump has floated the two-term Florida governor’s name to several people.

Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump side by side.

DeSantis served in the U.S. Navy as a JAG officer in Iraq and at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility.

In 2018, Trump helped supercharge the then-little known congressman’s campaign for governor. Florida voters elected DeSantis to a second term in 2022.

Their relationship has warmed since the recent presidential primary, though The Wall Street Journal reports DeSantis remains a controversial figure in Trump’s inner circle.

It would be a new chapter for Trump and DeSanis in a years-long relationship turned rivalry and back.

READ: Trump says he pulled the plug on Chronister after Hillsborough sheriff announced DEA nomination withdrawal

However, President-Elect Trump has already made one former rival, Sen. Marco Rubio, his new Secretary of State.

Desantis and Trump are aligned on criticizing a so-called woke military and a Pentagon budget that both say could be streamlined.

"If anyone could do it, Ron DeSantis displays the requisite skills," said Caputo. "He has a very sharp mind. He understands numbers, he understands budgeting, and he's very stubborn."

It would also keep DeSantis relevant in 2028, as his governorship is ending in 2026.

Serving in the second Trump administration could give DeSantis a new platform with Trump supporters.

READ: Trump announces picks for Army secretary, trade adviser, hostage envoy, NASA administrator

Dr. Aubrey Jewett, a politics professor at UCF, says DeSantis has to consider whether he will be able to survive four years in Trump's good graces, something few previous cabinet members have been able to achieve when deciding whether to join Trump’s cabinet.

"All the other people that work for Trump are supposed to fade into the background and let Trump have the glory," said Jewett. "This is sort of the way it is with Governor and Santos as governor, right?"

If DeSantis were to become a cabinet secretary, it would create even more change in who runs Florida and who represents its people.

Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez would become governor.

"Florida is one giant chessboard right now, and there are moving pieces everywhere," said Republican political strategist Lisa Kauffman. "The pieces are flying across the board."

Another lingering question is whether DeSantis is considering appointing Lara Trump to the seat Sen. Marco Rubio currently holds.

If so, it would be another nod to President-elect Trump and his supporters.

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