NBC News, citing two people familiar with the matter, reported that Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, in recent months has privately discussed the possibility of his candidacy in the 2028 presidential election.

According to these sources, Hegseth and his wife, Jennifer Hegseth, have raised this possibility with close friends and people connected to them.

The Pentagon rejected the report, calling it “stupid,” and said that Hegseth will not run for president and that his main priority is leading the Department of Defense.