According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, President-elect Donald Trump is considering yanking yet another of Florida’s current and former elected officials from the Sunshine State in order to serve in the federal government. Gov. Ron DeSantis, in office since 2018, could be Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon as Secretary of Defense if he parts with his current pick, Pete Hegseth.
Speculation that Trump may drop Hegseth began after allegations arose that he’d committed sexual assault in California seven years ago and been intoxicated on the job. The controversy for Hegseth came after assertions that his career experience (U.S. Army major turned Fox News host) did not qualify him for Secretary of Defense.
DeSantis served in the U.S. Navy for six years on active duty and then nine years in the reserves, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander. He worked at the infamous Guantanamo Bay detention camp at the height of the Iraq War, with one former detainee accusing him of overseeing the torture by force-feeding. Attempts to corroborate this via public record request were stymied by legal redactions. He earned the Bronze Star Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Iraq Campaign Medal during his service.
If DeSantis were to accept a hypothetical nomination to be Trump’s Secretary of Defense, he would be foregoing his final two years in office as Florida’s governor. Having been re-elected in 2022, DeSantis only circumvented having to resign for his 2024 presidential campaign thanks to a legislative accommodation passed specifically for him. An appointment to the federal government, one which seems much more likely to pass than Hegseth’s, would make DeSantis’ departure from office unavoidable.
In the event of DeSantis’ resignation, Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez would be the heir-apparent to the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee. It’s still important to note that the Trump transition team has not publicly given credence to the rumors that he’s considering DeSantis, and DeSantis has not responded to inquiries about whether he’d accept such an offer if it were given to him.
