Trump Vows to Keep War Secretary Despite Growing Calls for His Ouster After GOP Election Defeat
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he intends to keep Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in his administration, pushing back against mounting Republican pressure to remove the Pentagon chief following the GOP’s crushing losses in Tuesday’s midterm elections.
“I have every intention to keep him,” Trump told ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl. “I get these calls, you know, about him. I don’t understand why.”
The president’s remarks came as Hegseth faced increasing criticism over his leadership during the war with Iran, which has become a major political liability for Republicans. Some within the party believe the conflict contributed significantly to the Democratic victories that cost Republicans control of Congress.
Vice President JD Vance has also pointed to the Iran war as one of the factors behind the party’s electoral setbacks, adding to the pressure surrounding Hegseth, who was among the administration’s most outspoken advocates of the military campaign.
Several Republicans have urged Trump to consider replacing Hegseth before Democrats take control of the Senate. Among them is retiring North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, who has encouraged the president to make a leadership change while Republicans still possess the votes needed to confirm a successor.
Hegseth could also face impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives as early as next week, when lawmakers return to Washington for the lame-duck session. Democrats have indicated that even if an immediate impeachment effort fails, they intend to pursue further action against him after the new Congress convenes on January 3.
During the opening stages of Operation Epic Fury, Hegseth became one of the administration’s leading public defenders of the Iran campaign, frequently challenging reporters who questioned the operation’s progress or effectiveness.
However, he has not held a press briefing on the conflict since May, even as additional information has emerged about extensive damage inflicted by Iranian attacks on American military installations across the Middle East. Among the facilities affected was a strategically important port in Bahrain used to support U.S. aircraft carriers.
On Wednesday, Hegseth rejected suggestions that he leave the Pentagon to pursue a newly available U.S. Senate seat in Tennessee, his home state. The seat is opening following Senator Marsha Blackburn’s victory in the state’s gubernatorial election, which will allow her to appoint a successor.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell dismissed speculation about Hegseth’s departure and insisted that the secretary remains fully committed to his position.
“We will continue to drive [Trump’s] agenda at the Department of War — despite threats of sham witch hunts from Democrats — and Secretary Hegseth is 100% committed to leading the Department until the end of President Trump’s term in office,” Parnell said.
Despite those assurances, people familiar with internal White House discussions have indicated that Trump has been privately consulting advisers about whether Hegseth should remain in his Cabinet. Those discussions have not resulted in a decision to dismiss him, and administration insiders caution that his removal is far from certain.
“Somebody has to own this,” a person close to the administration said Wednesday. “When the word ‘war’ is in your title, then you might be the person in the crosshairs.”
The effort to remove Hegseth has also attracted support from Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who filed eight articles of impeachment accusing the Pentagon chief of continuing military operations against Iran without congressional authorization. Massie is seeking a House vote on the resolution when lawmakers return next week.
The political pressure comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the administration. Republicans will retain control of the Senate until January, giving Trump a limited opportunity to secure confirmation of a replacement before Democrats assume the majority. Trump acknowledged Thursday that appointing a new secretary would be easier under the current Senate.
