Top Republican Joni Ernst to suddenly exit the Senate after dramatic Trump clashes
Tough-talking fiscal conservative Senator Joni Ernst is set to stun Washington by announcing she won't seek reelection.
The 55-year-old Iowa Republican does not plan on seeking reelection in the 2026 midterms, according to sources close to her who spoke with CBS News.
Ernst, the first female combat veteran in Congress, has served in the Senate since 2015 and her second term will expire on January 3, 2027.
The sources disclosed that the senator's announcement is scheduled for Thursday.
Ernst's Senate office did not immediately return the Daily Mail's request for comment.
A two-term senator from southwestern Iowa, Ernst went to college at Iowa State University before joining the Army reserves.
While in the armed services, Ernst took tours in Kuwait and Iraq. She retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa National Guard.
The relatively young senator's planned exit comes months after she expressed skepticism over Trump's nomination of Pete Hegseth to be secretary of defense.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is reportedly not going to run for re-election in 2026
Sen. Joni Ernst is seen with President Donald Trump in a photo dated June 13, 2024 with caption: Just had lunch with Donald J. Trump!
Ernst has served in the Senate since 2015
Ernst was once vetted as a potential Trump running mate in 2016 and has largely been a staunch supporter of the president.
The senator briefly opposed Trump's choice of former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense, citing allegations of alcohol misuse and mistreatment of women raised during his December 2024 confirmation hearings.
Ernst, herself a survivor of sexual assault, was however skeptical about allegations made against Hegseth.
That resistance infuriated Trump's orbit, which launched a pressure campaign and threatened her with a MAGA-backed primary challenger.
'If they're opposing somebody for political reasons or stupid reasons, I would say it has nothing to do with me. I would say they probably would be primaried,' Trump said in December 2024.
Trump himself did not criticize Ernst or her opposition, however, reports at the time indicated that GOP senators who bucked the president's nominees would be forced to pay a political price.
Ernst ultimately relented and voted yes, helping Hegseth scrape through with the narrowest of margins - 51-50 - after JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote.
During Hegseth's Senate confirmation process in December 2024, claims regarding his treatment of women and use of alcohol came to a head, prompting Republican Senators Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins to vote 'no' on his confirmation.
Trump's choice for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth got a surprising boost when Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said 'I support Pete through this process'
Sen. Joni Ernst met with Hegseth in her Senate office while facing a public pressure campaign. She issued a statement saying, 'As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources'
Hegseth had been a sharp critic of women taking combat roles as well.
Ernst was peeved with those remarks.
She has focused on legislation and oversight of sexual assault and harassment in the military.
Eventually she relented and pledged her support for Hegseth's nomination.
The ex-Fox News host was later confirmed by a single vote margin, 51-50, after Vice President JD Vance had to break a tie.
Despite the dust up the Iowa senator was implored by the White House to run for re-election, Politico reported in July.
Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles reportedly urged Ernst to run for a third term, saying the administration would 'love to have her in the Senate,' according to sources familiar with the matter.
The Iowa Republican has grown a reputation for identifying wasteful government, famously dubbing her monthly taxpayer exposé the 'Squeal Award.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, walks to board a bus to the White House with other Senate Republicans for a meeting with President Donald Trump on his spending and tax bill, Wednesday, June 4, 2025
White House staffers reportedly urged Ernst to run for a third term
In November 2024, she co-founded the bipartisan Senate DOGE Caucus - short for 'Defending Our Government from Excess' - aimed at rooting out waste, fraud and abuse across federal agencies.
She worked closely with DOGE at the beginning of President Trump's term.
With Ernst's Senate seat reportedly opening up, several Republicans are at the top of the list to replace her.
Iowa Republican Ashley Hinson, 42, a former TV journalist and congresswoman since 2021, is thought to be a top candidate for the Senate seat.
Also in reportedly in the mix is NATO Ambassador Matt Whitaker, who ran in 2014 against Ernst in the Republican primary.
