US President Donald Trump backed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth a day after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in midterm elections that reflected voter anger over the war on Iran.
asserted
that → back → Iran
Asked whether he was considering replacing Hegseth, whom he has described as a champion of the war, Trump told reporters: “No, I think he’s doing a very good job.”
asserted
he → ask → job
The response contrasted with then-president George Bush, who fired Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld the morning after the 2006 midterm elections, when voter discontent over the Iraq war helped Democrats win control of Congress.
asserted
Democrats → contrast → Congress
But sources said Trump could still replace Hegseth as Republicans assess their losses.
uncertain
Republicans → say → losses
One Trump adviser said Hegseth “could be on the chopping block” because of the war.
uncertain
Hegseth → say → war
“Someone is going to get blamed for this and you know it’s not going to be him (Trump),” the adviser said.
asserted
adviser → go → this
Trump has described Hegseth as a key proponent of the unpopular conflict, saying on March 23: “Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up, and you said, ‘Let’s do it, because you can’t let them have a nuclear weapon.’”
asserted
them → describe → weapon
On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance publicly questioned whether the Iran war was worth it and said it cost Republicans control of Congress.
asserted
it → question → Congress
Asked for comment, the White House referred Reuters to Trump’s public remarks on Hegseth.
asserted
House → ask → Hegseth
The Defence Department said Hegseth was “100 percent committed” to leading the Pentagon until the end of Trump’s term, which ends on Jan. 20, 2029.
asserted
which → say → Jan.
Hegseth has been a polarising figure in American politics and has made adversaries even with his own Republican Party.
asserted
Hegseth → polarise → Party
One Republican lawmaker, US Representative Thomas Massie, even filed articles of impeachment against him earlier this year, accusing him of abusing his office by launching hostilities against Iran without approval by Congress.
asserted
lawmaker → file → Congress
Republican US Senator Thom Tillis told CBS News on Tuesday night that Hegseth has “a reckoning” coming and his strained relationship with lawmakers was undermining the Trump administration’s push for a $1.5 trillion defence spending package in Congress.
asserted
relationship → tell → Congress
“I think after the election, we need to determine whether or not he’s the best person to bring those needs to Congress if he wants something done before the end of this Congress, which is only 60 days away,” Tillis said as the midterm results came in.
asserted
results → think → Congress
Democrats have promised to investigate Hegseth and his handling of the Pentagon, and aides say that could include everything from his handling of the Iran war to his purges of top military officers including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
uncertain
that → promise → Staff
He could also face scrutiny over his Ukraine policy and US military strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats in Latin American waters, which some Democrats say could amount to war crimes.
uncertain
Democrats → face → crimes
At times, the conflict between Hegseth and members of Congress has become personal.
asserted
conflict → become → Congress
Last year, Hegseth sought to prosecute Democratic US Senator Mark Kelly after he and five other Democrats in Congress with backgrounds in the military and intelligence urged US troops to refuse illegal orders.
asserted
he → seek → orders
Hegseth accused them of sedition.
asserted
Hegseth → accuse → sedition
Representative Adam Smith, the Democrat who is expected to lead the House Armed Services Committee next year, promised vigorous oversight on everything from the Iran war to what he called the erosion of the “apolitical foundation of the armed forces”.
asserted
he → expect → forces
A source familiar with the matter said rancour on Capitol Hill over Hegseth has featured in White House discussions about potential replacements for him, saying there would be a need to have someone in the job who could distance themselves from events under Democratic scrutiny.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth would continue to drive Trump’s agenda and that the Pentagon “has followed the law”.
uncertain
Pentagon → say → law
“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.
asserted
Parnell → back → investigations
One long-rumoured possibility for Hegseth would be filling the Senate seat that will be vacated by Senator Marsha Blackburn, who was elected on Tuesday to become Tennessee’s next governor starting in January.
asserted
who → rumour → January
She has four years left in her term, and Hegseth, a Tennessee resident who voted there on Tuesday, could be appointed to the position, without having to run for election.
uncertain
who → have → election
Asked whether he wanted Hegseth to fill Blackburn’s seat, Trump said: “Well, I think, I think he’s doing a very good job, and I actually think he’d be very popular if he did that.”
asserted
he → ask → that
“But I haven’t heard that at all,” Trump told reporters.
asserted
Trump → hear → reporters
Trump has regularly praised Hegseth publicly, and has given the former Army National Guard soldier significant leeway as he sought to reshape the Pentagon.
asserted
he → praise → Pentagon
But last month Trump publicly split with Hegseth by pulling the plug on his plans to livestream the Army’s firing-squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan.
asserted
Trump → split → Hasan
The Aporia
