US President Donald Trump is reportedly consulting advisers on whether Pete Hegseth should continue as Defence Secretary following the Republican Party’s heavy losses in Tuesday’s elections.
Multiple sources familiar with the discussions told CBS News that Trump had raised questions about Hegseth’s position during conversations with aides and other associates.
Some White House officials believe responsibility for the Republicans’ poor electoral performance could also fall on Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, and General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over their involvement in providing military guidance during the Iran war.
However, sources said Trump had yet to make a final decision on whether to remove Hegseth from his cabinet.
Before the elections, Democrats had already initiated efforts to impeach the Defence Secretary. The possibility of such a move gaining momentum could increase following the party’s strong performance and its expected majorities in both chambers of Congress.
Vice President JD Vance has also linked the Republican defeat to the ongoing conflict with Iran. In a lengthy post on X on Wednesday morning, Vance said the war was responsible for the party’s electoral setback.
Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has reportedly emerged as a possible candidate to replace Hegseth.
According to one source, supporters of the proposal believe DeSantis could secure Senate confirmation during the lame-duck period before assuming the position after his tenure as governor ends on January 5.
Trump, however, dismissed speculation about an imminent change when journalists questioned him about Hegseth’s future on Wednesday afternoon.
The president responded, “No, I think he’s doing a very good job.”
He was also asked whether he would support Hegseth for the US Senate seat expected to become vacant when Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn assumes office as governor.
Trump suggested that the Defence Secretary could be well received in the Senate but said he had not been informed of any such proposal.
“I actually think he’d be very popular if he did that, but I haven’t heard that at all,” he said.
Responding to reports questioning Hegseth’s continued stay in the administration, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Trump maintained full confidence in the Defence Secretary.
Kelly also commended the military operations in Iran and Venezuela, while praising Hegseth for what she described as efforts to reverse the previous Biden administration’s Pentagon policies on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and what she called woke ideology.
