Overview

• Two associates say Hegseth has privately discussed a 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial bid that would require him to resign as defense secretary
• Defense Department rules bar civilian employees from running for political office, meaning Hegseth would have to resign to pursue a campaign
• Tennessee law mandates seven years of residency for governor candidates, but Hegseth has lived in the state for approximately three years
• State GOP bylaws require primary candidates to have voted in three of the last four statewide Republican primaries, a threshold Hegseth may not meet
• John Rose has loaned $5 million to his campaign and Sen. Marsha Blackburn plans an August announcement on her campaign, while Pentagon insiders consider Dan Driscoll or Elbridge Colby as possible interim defense secretaries