Why is Pete Hegseth under pressure from his own party? The immediate trigger is the Republican Party’s poor performance in the November 3 midterm elections. Democrats won control of both the House of Representatives
and the Senate, while the ongoing war with Iran emerged as one of the major sources of voter dissatisfaction.
According to a CNN report, several Republican lawmakers and allies are now privately blaming the defence secretary for encouraging Trump to launch military action against Iran without a clear exit strategy or a plan to manage its political consequences.
Republicans have argued that Hegseth oversold the prospect of a quick and easy victory and continued to advocate escalation even as the conflict dragged on. The war has also contributed to economic pressures, including higher fuel costs, adding to voter frustration.
The criticism is significant because Republicans have largely avoided directly blaming Trump for the electoral setback. Even lawmakers unhappy with the administration’s handling of the war have shown little inclination to openly break with the president. Hegseth, however, has become a more immediate target.
The CNN report also noted that Republican strategists privately acknowledged that the party’s problems extended beyond the Iran war. Inflation, affordability concerns and other administration policies contributed to the losses. Nevertheless, Hegseth has emerged as one of the officials facing pressure to take responsibility.
Why Is Trump Still Backing Hegseth?
Despite the growing criticism, Trump has publicly defended his defence secretary.
On Wednesday, when asked whether he was considering replacing Hegseth, Trump said: “No, I think he’s doing a very good job.”
According to CNN, Trump has privately told aides that Hegseth should fight back against impeachment efforts and investigations into his decisions. One White House official told CNN that Trump had recently described Hegseth as “my best guy”.
There could also be a strategic consideration behind Trump’s support. According to a source cited by CNN, Trump may want to retain Hegseth if he decides to launch further strikes against Iran.
Replacing a Cabinet secretary would also become more complicated with Democrats taking control of the Senate. The incoming majority will have greater influence over the confirmation of Trump’s nominees to senior government positions.
However, Reuters reported that some Trump advisers believe Hegseth could still be replaced as the administration assesses the political fallout of the midterm results. One adviser told the news agency that the defence secretary could be “on the chopping block”.
How Serious Is The Impeachment Threat Against Hegseth?
Hegseth was already facing an impeachment push before the midterm elections. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky had filed articles of impeachment against the defence secretary, accusing him of abusing his office by launching military hostilities against Iran without congressional authorisation.
Massie has said he intends to force a vote when the House returns after the midterms. According to CNN, multiple Republican sources expect the measure to pass, potentially with bipartisan support.
The impeachment effort is particularly unusual because Massie himself belongs to Trump’s Republican Party. He has frequently opposed the president on key issues and is among the Republicans willing to challenge the administration.
There is, however, an important distinction between impeachment and removal from office. The House can impeach Hegseth with a simple majority vote. But a conviction in the Senate requires a two-thirds majority. Even if Democrats and some Republicans vote to impeach him, securing the numbers needed to remove him would be considerably harder.
What Other Republicans Are Saying
The criticism of Hegseth is not limited to Massie.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis has questioned whether Hegseth is the right person to negotiate with Congress over the Pentagon’s proposed $1.5 trillion defence budget.
Speaking as the midterm results came in, Tillis said Hegseth had a “reckoning” coming, adding that lawmakers needed to assess whether he was the best person to secure congressional support for the administration’s defence priorities.
Hegseth’s relationship with lawmakers has also been strained by his handling of the Pentagon, including the removal of senior military officers and disputes over military leadership.
Trump’s defence secretary has also faced criticism over his approach to military communications and decision-making. Reuters reported that Democrats are preparing to investigate the Pentagon’s handling of the Iran war, its military leadership changes, Ukraine policy and US strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels.
JD Vance’s Iran War Remarks Add To The Pressure
The growing criticism of Hegseth comes amid a broader debate within the Republican Party over the political consequences of the Iran war.
Vice-President JD Vance publicly distanced himself from Trump’s defence of the conflict following the midterm losses, directly attributing the Republican defeat to the war. “The reason we lost is the war,” Vance wrote in a social media post on Wednesday.
He also questioned whether the military campaign was worth the political price, pointing out that Republicans had lost control of the Senate for the next six years.
Trump, meanwhile, acknowledged that the war had hurt Republicans electorally but continued to defend the decision to launch it.
According to the Associated Press, around six in 10 voters surveyed said the US had made the wrong decision by taking military action against Iran. However, the survey also indicated that the cost of living and government corruption were more important voting issues for a larger share of the electorate.
Vance’s remarks are significant because they signal that disagreements over the war are no longer confined to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. They have also become a subject of public debate within the administration’s senior leadership.
Could Hegseth Become Trump’s Fall Guy?
The possibility of Hegseth being made to take responsibility for the Republican electoral setback has emerged as a central question in Washington.
According to CNN, some Trump allies believe the defence secretary could become an obvious target as the administration looks to respond to the midterm defeat. His close association with the Iran war makes him vulnerable to criticism, particularly as Republicans seek to avoid directly challenging Trump.
There is also a historical parallel. After Republicans lost control of Congress in the 2006 midterm elections, then-President George W Bush fired Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, whose handling of the Iraq war had become a major political liability.
Reuters pointed to this precedent while reporting on Trump’s decision to publicly stand by Hegseth.
For now, Hegseth has indicated that he intends to remain in office and defend the administration’s decisions. The Pentagon has said he is fully committed to leading the department until the end of Trump’s term in January 2029.
But the political circumstances have changed. Democrats are preparing to use their congressional majority to investigate the administration, while Republicans are facing questions about the direction of their party and the costs of the Iran war.
Whether Trump continues to stand by Hegseth or eventually replaces him could therefore become an important test of how the administration responds to the midterm verdict.
