AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): In response to a question about an NBC News report that Hegseth is considering a run for the White House, Trump said the Secretary of War is "doing a very good job," but it is "too early" to discuss such a matter.
Hegseth had also last week called reports about his 2028 electoral ambitions "100 percent false."
The US President, who by law cannot serve more than two terms, has not yet introduced a specific successor to lead the "Make America Great Again" political movement after his term ends in 2029.
Meanwhile, some Republican supporters have backed the candidacy of JD Vance, the Vice President, and Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State.
Hegseth, who before joining the administration had a background in the National Guard and as a Fox News host, has also recently appeared at the Republican campaign rally at the Iowa State Fair, an event that holds particular significance due to its role in American political life.
However, Trump said about the possibility of him entering the presidential race that many people might be thinking about running, of whom no one is yet aware, and that currently, Hegseth's focus is on the military and its administration.
Trump's remarks come as Hegseth is implementing sweeping changes at the US Department of War. Dan Driscoll, the US Secretary of the Army, submitted his resignation to the White House yesterday, an action that followed months of tension between him and Hegseth.
According to a US official who spoke with Reuters, Hegseth viewed Driscoll as a threat within the department's administrative structure and had long sought to remove him, although Driscoll's connection with JD Vance had made this action difficult for Hegseth.
These developments come as Hegseth has previously made significant changes to the US Army's command structure. In April, he dismissed Randy George, the Chief of Staff of the US Army, a change that took place amid the extensive engagement of the US military in the Middle East.
In such circumstances, the mention of Hegseth's name as one of the possible figures in the 2028 election, alongside the potential candidacy of Vance and Rubio, could be a sign of the gradual beginning of competition over the future of Trump's political movement within the Republican Party.
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