Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a highly unusual move, is scheduled to campaign in Kentucky on Monday alongside Ed Gallrein, a former member of the Navy SEALs who is challenging Rep. Thomas Massie in Tuesday’s Republican primary.

Even for Hegseth, who has stretched the boundaries of partisan politics in his job leading the Pentagon, it would be an extraordinary breach of decorum for a serving defense secretary to campaign for a political candidate. Pentagon officials typically stay far away from such activities to maintain the military’s apolitical image.

Hegseth’s top aides, who noted that the secretary will also travel to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on Monday to award Purple Heart medals to soldiers, pushed back on any notion of impropriety about the campaign stop.

“Secretary Hegseth is attending this event in his personal capacity,” Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokesperson, said in a statement. “No taxpayer dollars will be used to facilitate his visit. His participation has been thoroughly vetted and cleared by lawyers, including the Department of War Office of General Counsel, and does not violate the Hatch Act or any other applicable federal statute.”

Massie has voted repeatedly against President Donald Trump’s policies, including the war in Iran and his tax legislation, and the president has promised to replace him. Trump endorsed Gallrein in October.

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Eric Schmitt/Eric Lee
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