Pete Hegseth on the way to the US presidency? The "personal" visit that is sparking rumors

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth set out on Monday for a visit to the state of Iowa in what was defined by the Pentagon as a "personal" trip. However, according to reports in the United States and on CBS, the political foray of the former "Fox News" personality is fueling a rumor mill regarding his intention to run for president in 2028, or for another senior political position, upon the conclusion of his tenure in the Trump administration.

Hegseth arrived in Iowa via a military aircraft funded by the American taxpayer. In response to criticism, the Pentagon clarified that by virtue of his position, he is defined as a passenger required to use military aircraft even on unofficial trips, due to the constant need for secure communication and availability for national security. The current trip, originally planned five months ago, was postponed at the time due to the deaths of American soldiers from Iowa at the beginning of the ongoing war against Iran.

According to reports, Hegseth is expected to participate in an election campaign for Republican candidates, led by Congressman Zach Nunn, a colonel in the Air Force reserves, who is running in a tight race for his seat. This involvement is highly unusual in the American political landscape; past secretaries of defense have traditionally avoided active participation in partisan campaign events. The Republican Party is trying to maintain critical seats in the state, including that of Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who is in a tight battle against Democratic candidate Christine Bohannan and independent candidate Michael Bridgeford.

Iowa, which remains a critical political testing ground, is currently hosting a long line of senior administration officials. Among the recent visitors are Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, Small Business Administration head Kelly Loeffler, and NATO representative Matt Whitaker. However, the presence of the Secretary of Defense in a campaign is considered exceptional.

Hegseth's intervention in local politics is not limited to Iowa. Just last week, he made an official visit to South Carolina for a ceremony renaming a military base after the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The timing did not escape the notice of critics, just one day before special primaries in which Graham's sister, Darlene, was running, who eventually advanced to a runoff against Ralph Norman. Earlier this year, Hegseth even arrived in northern Kentucky to support Republican candidate Ed Gallrein against incumbent Congressman Thomas Massie, who had strongly opposed the war in Iran and aid to Israel, a move that ended in Massie's ouster.

Sources familiar with the Secretary of Defense's thinking noted to reporters that the visit to Iowa is entirely consistent with the pattern of behavior of a person building his political future and stretching the traditional boundaries between partisan politics and his security role.