President Donald Trump has been asking advisers whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should remain in his post following the Republican Party’s heavy losses in Tuesday’s midterm elections, CBS News reported Wednesday, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Other sources told CBS that the president has not decided to replace Hegseth. One source said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is being floated as a possible successor, suggesting he could be confirmed by the Senate during the lame-duck period and assume the role after his term as governor ends on January 5.
The report comes as Democrats secured control of both the House and the Senate, and as senior Republicans pointed to the war with Iran as a central factor in the defeat. Vice President JD Vance wrote in a post on X Wednesday morning that “the reason we lost is the war.” Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday night that Iran “was a piece of it.”
According to CBS, some White House aides expect part of the blame to fall on Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, both of whom played major roles in guiding the Iran campaign. The Atlantic reported on November 1 that Trump had been asking allies about the performance of both Hegseth and Caine.
Hegseth already faces an impeachment push. Republican Representative Thomas Massie introduced articles of impeachment against him in September and has said he will reintroduce them after the midterms. With Democrats now holding majorities in both chambers, that effort could gain momentum.
People close to Hegseth told The Washington Post that he intends to remain in the role for the rest of Trump’s term, and Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell rejected suggestions that Hegseth would step back in the face of congressional investigations.
Hegseth has been one of the administration’s most outspoken supporters of Israel, and his potential departure would be closely watched in Jerusalem as Washington reassesses its posture toward Iran.
