NEW YORK, August 29. /TASS/. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has discussed with his closest circle running for president in 2028, NBC News quoted sources as saying.

According to their information, Hegseth and his wife Jennifer have been considering the idea of his participation in the presidential race for several months. They believe that Hegseth possesses the qualities that brought President Donald Trump popularity within the MAGA movement, the channel noted.

But Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s assistant for public affairs, denied this.

"Secretary Hegseth is not running for president, and his main priority is leading the War Department. All other speculation is foolish," Parnell said in a statement.

Earlier, The Washington Post quoted sources as saying Trump privately told Republican Party donors that he wanted to see Vice President JD Vance as a candidate for the highest office in the 2028 presidential election.