Hegseth not currently under consideration, a person familiar with the matter says
The race to replace Sen. Marsha Blackburn in the Senate intensified in Tennessee this week, days after Blackburn won the state’s race for governor, with Rep. Tim Burchett publicly seeking consideration for the appointment and speculation swirling around Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Burchett, a Tennessee Republican who won reelection to his House seat on Tuesday, told The Associated Press that he wants to be considered for the Senate seat when Blackburn becomes governor in January.
Asked whether he wanted consideration, Burchett said, “Absolutely. Absolutely.”
Hegseth has also surfaced as a potential replacement, with his future uncertain after Republicans’ sweeping losses in the midterm elections. But Hegseth is not currently being considered for the seat, according to a person familiar with the matter who discussed the private conversations on condition of anonymity. The person said Blackburn is focused on her transition to the governorship and dismissed speculation about appointing Hegseth to the seat as baseless chatter.
Blackburn, who is serving her second Senate term, has indicated she plans to retain the seat until she is sworn in as governor, allowing her to appoint her own replacement to serve out the remainder of her term, which ends in January 2031.
Much of the post-midterms speculation about potential Cabinet shuffles has centered on Hegseth, described as a key architect of President Donald Trump’s unpopular war with Iran and already shaping up to be a top target of congressional Democrats.
The House is expected to return next week and is facing a vote on whether to impeach Hegseth.
Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he is not considering replacing Hegseth, saying, “I think he’s doing a very good job.”
Of the possibility that Hegseth could fill Blackburn’s seat, Trump said, “I actually think he’d be very popular if he did that.”
Hegseth addressed the impeachment threat himself on Thursday, releasing a video on social media in which he argued the move would be “all about the politics of personal destruction” that “won’t work with me. You can rest assured of that.”
Hegseth moved to Tennessee with his family in 2022, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
With a Democratic-led Senate set to control at least 54 seats next year, Trump is certain to face steep hurdles confirming any high-profile picks for federal judgeships or for Cabinet posts.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, told The Associated Press on Thursday that Democrats are “not going to allow any crappy nominees” to be confirmed to the Supreme Court, the broader federal judiciary or to the Cabinet.