DES MOINES, Iowa — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth campaigned Monday in Iowa for Rep. Zach Nunn, stepping into the political arena in a way previous leaders of the Pentagon have avoided.

Hegseth appeared at a veteran-focused fundraising event at the Iowa State Fair alongside Nunn, who is one of the most vulnerable House Republicans in this year’s midterms. He touted Nunn’s candidacy and was sharply critical of previous Democratic administrations.

“We’re restoring the warrior ethos inside our department because that matters,” Hegseth said. “We need guys like this man right here having our back in Congress.”

Hegseth also remarked on his presence at the event. “According to the lawyers, I’m only here in a personal capacity today, as a veteran and a patriotic American,” he said.

“I have to say that,” he added.

Asked about his participation in the event, the Pentagon also said Hegseth was attending in his personal capacity.

The appearance was another departure from previous norms for Hegseth, who in May campaigned in Kentucky for Ed Gallrein. Gallrein went on to defeat Rep. Thomas Massie, one of President Donald Trump’s most outspoken Republican critics. In past administrations, Pentagon officials generally kept a distance from campaign activities.

Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd at a bar on the fairgrounds, Hegseth praised Nunn, an Air Force Reserve colonel, as a key supporter of the military. Nunn, who is seeking a third term, served in the Air Force for nearly two decades.

“When we need an ally to call who understands why it’s important to fund our military in the way we need to fund it, but also do so in a fiscally responsible way, we call Congressman Zach Nunn,” Hegseth said.

Nunn is facing Sarah Trone Garriott, who is a Democratic state senator and a Lutheran minister, in November. Democrats are looking to win back the House majority in November; and Nunn’s seat is seen as an important battleground in the fight for control of the chamber.

The visit by Hegseth to Iowa, which has long been a key early state in the Republican presidential nominating process, could also fuel speculation about his future political plans.

In his remarks, Hegseth made jabs at former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, saying his department is now prioritizing “deterrence” capabilities. He also used a derogatory term for transgender people, apparently referring to the Biden administration’s reversal of a ban on transgender service members from Trump’s first term. Trump revoked that order in January 2025.

Hegseth’s partisan message and combative style diverged from that of the candidate he was supporting. Just before Nunn’s supporters crowded into JR’s Southpork Ranch, the bar where the event was held, Nunn stood up on the fair’s famed soapbox and touted his work with both parties.

“We’ve been able to pass three bills and get them signed into law under Joe Biden, and I don’t always agree with Joe Biden very much,” Nunn said of his legislative team. “But we also had 27 bills signed into law under President Trump.”

Also present at Monday’s event were Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, another vulnerable Republican, and Ashley Hinson, a Republican running for a competitive, open Senate seat against Josh Turek, a Democratic state representative.

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Bayliss Wagner/KC McGinnis
c. 2026 The New York Times Company