Hegseth denies report of 2028 presidential run

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denied a report that he is privately considering a run for president in 2028, calling the allegations "100% false" after a news outlet cited anonymous sources familiar with his conversations. The report, published on August 28, 2026, claimed that Hegseth and his wife, Jennifer, have floated the idea of a presidential campaign with friends and associates over the past several months. In a statement issued before the report's publication, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said, "Secretary Hegseth is not running for president, and his main priority is leading the War Department. All other speculation is foolish.