Florida Governor Ron DeSantis could replace Pete Hegseth as Donald Trump's pick for Defense Secretary as concerns grow about Hegseth's ability to lead the Pentagon.
There's growing doubt about whether Hegseth, a Fox News co-host and former Army National Guard major and combat veteran, would be able to win Senate confirmation for the role due to a sexual assault allegation from 2017—which he denied—and other reports about his work conduct and history.
Concerns that Hegseth would not hold up under further scrutiny, such as an FBI background check, have led Trump to consider DeSantis for the job instead, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the discussions.
As Florida's governor, DeSantis has implemented anti-woke policies in his state, with "woke" used to derisively label progressive causes such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek that if DeSantis was picked to lead the Pentagon, it would give him an opportunity to take his war on "woke" to the military.
"DeSantis brings executive experience and a strong political following, which could solidify Trump's support among conservatives and bolster his administration's focus on domestic leadership in defense matters," he said.
Newsweek has contacted DeSantis' office for comment via email.
What Ron DeSantis Has Said About the Military?
DeSantis accused President Joe Biden of politicizing the military and causing recruiting to plummet, when he kicked off his bid for the presidency last year.
The governor outlined his plans to rip the "woke out" of the military and make it mission-focused if he won the White House. He dropped his bid in January and endorsed Trump.
"There was no greater honor than knowing I was wearing the cloth of my country when I served in the military, but our nation's once-proud fighting force has been infected and paralyzed by a political agenda," DeSantis said in a statement, according to an archived version of a July 2023 press release from his campaign on The American Presidency Project's website.
"It is time to rip the woke out of the military and return it to its core mission. We must restore a sense of confidence, conviction, and patriotic duty to our institutions—and that begins with our military."
DeSantis' plan involved ending all DEI hirings and getting rid of diversity and inclusion administrators for each military department as well as ending "woke" operating policies, including revoking an executive order that allows transgender personnel to "serve in the military in their preferred sex," ending drag performances on military bases and prohibiting the Pentagon from conducting business with "left-wing firms that blacklist conservative news sources."
His plan also sought to ban "woke" indoctrination, including by defunding or banning courses associated with critical race theory at service academies.
Another proposal called for banning the Pentagon from punishing troops based on their COVID-19 vaccination status and reinstating those who were discharged for not getting vaccinated. DeSantis' plan also argued that the Pentagon should "never prioritize climate politics over national security" and for the Pentagon to end a requirement for contractors to track and slow their greenhouse gas emissions.
DeSantis' plan also called for a restoration in pride in the military, saying that he would "use the 'Bully Pulpit' to engage all Americans on the power and meaning of its all-volunteer fighting force and a meaningful, purpose-driven military force that will have the resources, backing of their Commander in chief, and the American people to defend the Constitution and the United States."
Ron DeSantis' Military Record
DeSantis earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps officer while at Harvard Law School, according to a biography on the Florida Department of State's website. While on active duty, he supported operations at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
He also deployed to Iraq as an adviser to a U.S. Navy SEAL commander in support of the SEAL mission in Fallujah, Ramadi and the rest of Al Anbar province, the biography states. His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service and the Iraq Campaign Medal.
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