On July 29, NBC reported that Hegseth has "privately discussed the idea of running for political office." While the Pentagon’s chief spokesman Sean Parnell denied any idea of Hegseth vying for the governorship in Tennessee, the Secretary of Defense could run for office should he choose to leave his current post.

Is Pete Hegseth planning to leave Pentagon? The defense secretary, who is facing string of controversies, has talked privately about running a campaign in Tennessee, a report claimed. Pentagon has reacted to the rumours and argued that the defense secretary’s focus ‘remains solely on serving under President Donald Trump' and called the report 'fake'.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is weighing his options for a path out of Donald Trump's administration as controversies continue to plague his short stint as the head of the United States Armed Forces,