I don’t have any insider information on where the Hegseth nomination stands, but it’s not looking great at the moment. (If he makes it to a hearing, I think he could have some Ollie North in him and be a very effective televised advocate for himself.) We are beginning to hear reports of DeSantis as a possible replacement. Whether this happens or not, there is no doubt in my mind that he would be a fantastic defense secretary, and, indeed, a fantastic cabinet secretary in any capacity. He has those qualities that are so important to being an effective reformer or, if you prefer, a wrecking ball: ideological commitment, intellectual seriousness, extensive experience, and success at running government agencies. This is the model of the kind of high-level official Trump should want to get real results.