By Steve Holland and Bo Erickson
WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told reporters it was too soon to discuss his potential successor, sidestepping talk of a 2028 campaign by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Asked about an NBC News report that the Pentagon chief has discussed a potential White House run, Trump said Hegseth is doing a "fantastic job, but it's very early to talk about that."
"We have to get through the midterms first," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
The president's Republican Party is fighting to maintain control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress in November's elections.
Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News Channel television host, campaigned for Republicans this month at the politics-heavy Iowa State Fair. He called the report on his 2028 presidential ambitions "100% false" in a social media post last week.
Trump, who is limited to two terms as president, has not named a successor to lead his "Make America Great Again" movement after he leaves office in 2029. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have both been encouraged by their supporters to run.
"I'll bet there's a lot of people considering it that you don't know about," Trump said. "Right now, all he loves is - and all he cares about is - the military and taking care of the military."
Trump has wielded his endorsement power in 2026 races, even boosting some Republican challengers to success over sitting senators. "It is, without question, the strongest Endorsement in the History of Politics," Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday.
(Reporting by Steve Holland and Bo Erickson; Editing by Trevor Hunnicutt and Jamie Freed)
