ToplineSecretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has denied reports he’s considering a run at the Oval Office in 2028, calling the claim “100% false” and removing himself from a field of speculative candidates that includes Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.Getty ImagesKey FactsHegseth, who was a Fox News host before becoming secretary of defense, emphatically denied the NBC report on X and said he told the outlet he wasn’t running, “but they just lie w/ anonymous ‘sources.’” The report, published Friday, claimed he’d discussed a potential White House run with close friends and associates and cited a recent appearance at the Iowa State Fair as evidence (he was technically there to campaign for Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa). No major candidates have officially declared their 2028 presidential campaigns, but Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has publicly acknowledged his interest in running and other top contenders include Vance and Rubio.Key backgroundHegseth has run for office once before, launching a short-lived congressional bid in 2012. He sought the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota, but ultimately withdrew from the primary after the state party convention. He joined Fox News as a contributor in 2014 and emerged as a prominent voice in conservatism. He was nominated by Trump to lead the Department of Defense in 2024 and has served in the role since early 2025. TANGENTVance is favored in betting odds to be the next Republican nominee, with the Kalshi prediction market showing a 44% chance, followed by Rubio with a 19% chance. No other candidate is above 5% in Kalshi odds. Vance has said he will decide on his future after the midterms, while Rubio has said he will endorse Vance if the vice president seeks the 2028 GOP presidential nomination. Observers have noted seemingly diverging philosophies between the two that could become a major point of contention in a 2028 primary, with Vance tapping into a more populist base skeptical of foreign intervention and Rubio harkening back to a more neo-conservative establishment that dominated Republican politics before Trump’s first GOP presidential campaign.further readingForbesTop Army General Fired After Disagreement Over Kid Rock Helicopter Probe, Report Says—As Vacancies Mount Under HegsethBy Sara DornForbesStars And Stripes Editor Says He’s Worried About Military Censorship—After Pentagon Fires Him For ‘Insubordination’By Mary Whitfill Roeloffs