President Donald Trump publicly defended War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, even as current and former administration figures questioned how long the Pentagon chief can remain in his post after Republicans’ heavy midterm losses. Several of them tied those losses in part to the Iran war.
“I think he’s doing a very good job,” Trump said Wednesday when asked by the media whether he was considering replacing Hegseth, according to Fox News, which is the primary source for this report.
The remarks came a day after Democrats secured majorities in both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, setting up a shift in power on Capitol Hill in January. The Iran war and its economic fallout loomed large in the campaign, and Hegseth was among the administration’s most vocal advocates for the military effort.
“That Will Play Out in the Lame Duck”
A White House official said Tuesday that the election results “would have looked very different without the Iran War.” The official predicted Trump would ultimately hold Hegseth, a former Fox News host, accountable, saying, “That will play out in the lame duck.”
Later Tuesday, a former White House staffer offered a blunter assessment of Hegseth’s standing. “Hegseth is on the chopping block,” the former staffer said.
An administration official said there were “signs” Hegseth could be ousted, but added that “Trump can turn on a dime.” The official said the possibility had been discussed for some time, though “only Trump knows what he’s gonna do.”
Bessent’s Role in the Iran Campaign
One source pointed to the role of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who led the sanctions campaign against Iran known as Operation Economic Outcast. “It was clear Bessent became the go-to after Pete couldn’t deliver an Iran victory,” the source said.
A foreign policy source with ties to Hegseth said they doubted the secretary would remain in the job through the end of the year. That source said Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and his impeachment push could force Republicans eyeing 2028 re-election bids to “saddle themselves with a pro-Hegseth vote.”
Massie has separately vowed to force a vote on his impeachment resolution during the lame-duck session if Hegseth remains in office.
The Iran War and Hegseth’s Public Role
Hegseth has faced criticism over his prominent role in the Iran war, which has continued to generate political and economic fallout well past the White House’s initial three- to four-week timeline. In March, he declared that the United States was carrying out “our retribution” against Iran.
Sustained U.S. strikes have since ended, but tensions with Tehran remain unresolved. Concerns linger about Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities and the possibility of renewed military action. Sources said renewed strikes remain under serious consideration by the White House.
That possibility could weigh against an immediate change at the Pentagon. Installing new leadership while the administration weighs renewed operations would create uncertainty at a critical moment. Hegseth has also already shown a willingness to move quickly in carrying out Trump’s military directives.
Pentagon Responds
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth remains “100% committed to leading the Department until the end of President Trump’s term in office.”
“Secretary Hegseth will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points or launch phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists,” Parnell said. He added that the Department of War “has followed the law” and that the secretary “will continue to stand and fight every single day to support and defend the Constitution, lead our troops and protect America.”
Democrats Signal Scrutiny
Democrats have indicated that Hegseth will be a focus of the incoming Congress. Before the election, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would “run Pete Hegseth out of town” if they won the House. Democrats have also discussed investigations into the Iran war and Pentagon leadership, with impeachment among the options. Democratic congressional candidate Cait Conley has said she would support impeaching Hegseth.
A Tenure Marked by Change and Controversy
As war secretary, Hegseth pushed sweeping changes to military culture, including banning transgender service members, eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and imposing uniform combat fitness standards for men and women. He also sought to overhaul the Pentagon bureaucracy by consolidating Army commands, cutting senior military leadership and expanding the use of artificial intelligence and advanced weapons technology.
His tenure has also drawn controversy. He shared sensitive details about planned strikes against Houthi militants in Signal chats that inadvertently included a journalist. Internal infighting, leak investigations and the dismissal of several top aides have also fueled scrutiny, though Trump has repeatedly defended his leadership.
Hegseth also championed a plan to livestream the firing-squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army major who killed 13 people and wounded 32 others at Fort Hood in 2009. The proposal drew bipartisan backlash. Trump ultimately scrapped the livestream while leaving Hasan’s execution in place.
A Historical Parallel
The pressure on Hegseth echoes an earlier moment when midterm losses and an unpopular war put a defense secretary’s job in question. On Nov. 8, 2006, President George W. Bush announced the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, one day after Republicans suffered major midterm losses amid growing criticism of the Iraq War.