President-elect Donald Trump is considering naming Republican presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as defense secretary, according to two people familiar with the situation.

DeSantis would replace Pete Hegseth, whose prospects for confirmation appear to be fading amid allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse.

A final decision has not yet been made, said the two people, who were granted anonymity to discuss internal matters.

The addition of DeSantis to the Trump administration could have a positive impact on the governor’s political prospects, as his term is limited and he will leave office in early 2027, when it is expected he could run for president again. This would lead to the ascension of Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, who would be Florida’s first female governor and the first of Cuban descent.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that Trump was considering DeSantis. Hegseth is still meeting with senators this week and has scheduled an appearance on Fox News with his mother on Wednesday morning.

Hegseth already faced a difficult confirmation because of a sexual assault allegation in 2017 and because he has no experience leading a large organization — let alone one as complex as the Pentagon. His prospects dimmed in recent days after The New Yorker reported that he was forced out of leadership positions at two veterans organizations due to mismanagement, alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct.

Hegseth is making the rounds on Capitol Hill this week, meeting with Senate Republicans to bolster his nomination. He cannot afford to lose by more than three Republicans in a confirmation vote, assuming all Democrats are against him.

He is expected to meet with several other Republican senators on Wednesday, including new Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), who will oversee the confirmation process for Trump’s Pentagon chief, and new Majority Leader John Thune (RS.D.). ).

The allegations against Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News personality, include a 2017 sexual assault allegation that was investigated by police in Monterey, California. He agreed to a settlement with the accuser, although he was never charged in the incident and has denied wrongdoing.

According to a Republican official granted anonymity to discuss the situation, Hegseth is facing so much opposition in the Senate — particularly among Republican women — that there are increasing doubts about his ability to be confirmed.

He will have a chance Wednesday to restore his standing through the Fox interview and his Hill meetings, including one with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, but there is not much optimism that he will succeed, the official said.

DeSantis, like Hegseth, could appeal to Trump’s stated goal of eliminating “woke” military officers from the Defense Department.

As a presidential candidate, Florida’s governor unveiled a plan for the military that would have scrapped diversity initiatives, banned transgender soldiers from the military and reinstated service members who refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

DeSantis and Trump spoke Tuesday as they both attended a memorial service in Palm Beach for three police officers who died in a vehicle crash last month, a source familiar with the discussion confirmed. The person did not know whether the position of Secretary of Defense was an option.

DeSantis and Trump fought a bitter and personal primary campaign that ended with the governor’s exit after the Iowa caucuses. DeSantis accused Trump of not being conservative enough and downplayed the role his support played in his election as governor in 2018. The two struck a truce this summer, and DeSantis helped raise funds for Trump.

Still, there is some tension over how Florida should be shaped after Trump’s election, especially as the president-elect chooses so many people from his adopted home state to staff his administration.

A person familiar with the effort said DeSantis’ name was on a list of potential candidates for administration positions, including defense, that was circulated weeks ago, but that the then-governor had not expressed interest. His name came under consideration again as Hegseth’s nomination came under increasing scrutiny.

Immediately after Trump’s election, DeSantis said he did not want to join the government. During a visit to the University of Notre Dame, he told a group of students that he was “not looking for anything.” He added: “We got a great job at Florida State. …How can I best make a difference? I think given where we’re at, I think I probably make the biggest difference as the quarterback for the Sunshine State.”

The DeSantis considerations come as the governor has his own major political appointments to make. He is expected to name a successor to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), who was picked by Trump to be secretary of state. DeSantis previously said he would announce his pick by early January and was conducting interviews with candidates for consideration.

Lara Trump, Trump’s daughter-in-law, has expressed willingness to take the job, but DeSantis has several Florida Republicans who could be considered for the post.

DeSantis was first elected Florida governor in 2018 and quickly became a rising star among conservatives because of his response to the Covid pandemic and his eagerness to wade into contentious battles over race, education, and gender and sexual identity.

However, DeSantis’ political future was in doubt after his failed presidential bid. DeSantis has steadfastly told his allies that he has no interest in entering the Senate, although he once ran for Rubio’s seat when Rubio was running for president himself.

DeSantis, 46, graduated from Yale University and then earned a law degree from Harvard University. While studying law, he enlisted in the US Navy. He worked as a Judge Advocate General Officer and eventually became legal counsel for the SEAL Team.

In a memoir published before his presidential candidacy, DeSantis briefly discussed his time in the military, criticizing how “the burden of post-9/11 operations fell on such a small portion of our population” and also criticizing President George HW Bush Dealing with the war with Iraq.

Rachael Bade and Connor O’Brien contributed to this report.