2028 Republican presidential nominee
$47.2M
NOV 7, 2028Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleOther
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age46 years old (Jun 6, 1980)
GenderMale
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BackgroundU.S. Secretary of Defense
EducationPrinceton University (B.A., 2003)
Notable personal detailsPeter Brian Hegseth is an American government official and former television host who has served as the 29th U.S. Secretary of Defense since January 25, 2025. He graduated from Princeton University in 2003 and was commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army National Guard, with deployments including Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He later worked with veterans advocacy organizations and became a Fox News contributor and co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend before joining the Trump Cabinet.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Favors lower taxes and pro-growth tax cuts, including support for corporate tax reductions, and advocates reducing government spending and cutting what he describes as wasteful federal contracts. Positions emphasize tax relief to spur jobs and economic growth rather than tax increases.
Healthcare
Supports privatization and market-based approaches to health care, has criticized the Affordable Care Act, and has advocated for cuts or structural changes to government programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veterans Affairs system. Has pushed for expanding private choice for veterans rather than expanding government-run care.
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Immigration & Border
Supports aggressive, enforcement-first border policies including expanded military involvement at the southern border, use of detention and deportation (including use of Guantanamo Bay for processing/deportation), and restoration/expansion of restrictive immigration measures. Advocates for achieving ‘‘operational control’’ of the border and deploying additional troops and resources to stop illegal entry and enable removals.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Pete Hegseth describes himself as personally pro-life and has said he does not believe the federal government should fund travel for abortion; he indicated he would review and advise on Department of Defense policies to limit federally funded abortion-related travel. He has supported redirecting federal funding away from organizations that perform abortions.
Climate & Energy
Pete Hegseth rejects Department of Defense involvement in climate initiatives and has publicly described climate-change efforts as political or ideological. He has said the DOD "does not do climate change" and supported cutting Pentagon climate programs and related research.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports broad Second Amendment rights, opposes creating gun-owner databases or broadly stripping firearms from service members, and favors allowing concealed carry (including arguing service members should be trusted with sidearms). Expresses opposition to significant new gun-control measures while endorsing arming or permitting carry in some contexts for security.
News
Pete Hegseth is in the news for leading a series of U.S. military operations under President Trump, including the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The reporting also says the campaign has targeted Iranian facilities as part of a broader effort to project American military power. The operations are described as an assertive push aimed at strategic clarity and deterrence.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising