Key facts
- An Associated Press report, citing a person familiar with the matter, said Hegseth is not being considered for the seat.
- The person dismissed speculation about Hegseth taking Blackburn's Senate seat as "baseless chatter".
- Two sources told The Hill that Trump had been asking advisers and allies about Hegseth's standing after the midterms.
- Trump told reporters on Wednesday he was not considering replacing Hegseth, saying he was "doing a very good job".
- A senior Pentagon official said replacing Hegseth would not be "practical" during the lame-duck period.
- Outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said he would introduce eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reportedly not in consideration to replace Tennessee Gov.-elect Marsha Blackburn in her open Senate seat, according to an Associated Press report cited by The Hill. The AP report cited a person familiar with the matter who discussed private conversations on condition of anonymity. That person dismissed speculation about Hegseth taking the seat as "baseless chatter" and said Blackburn was focused on her transition to the governor's mansion.
The denial followed reporting by The Hill on Thursday that President Trump had been asking advisers and allies about Hegseth's standing after the midterms. One of the two sources said Hegseth is in "a lot of trouble"; the other said it was not clear how much his position was in jeopardy. Both spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
Trump publicly defended Hegseth on Wednesday, telling reporters he was not considering replacing the defense secretary and that Hegseth was "doing a very good job", while saying Hegseth would be "very popular" if he filled Blackburn's seat.
Hegseth, a former Army National Guard major, is interested in the open Tennessee seat and has campaigned behind the scenes for the post, The Hill previously reported. A senior Pentagon official said that if Hegseth left the Pentagon, the process of replacing him would not be "practical", pointing to the difficulty of finding a replacement who could be confirmed by the Senate during the lame-duck period, before Democrats take control of the chamber.
Outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced he would introduce eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth before leaving office, and said the only thing Hegseth could do to stop the effort would be to resign.
Other Tennessee politicians interested in the seat include Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), former Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs and former CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger. Burchett campaigned for Blackburn this election cycle.