The White House has dismissed speculation that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio could leave their positions following the Republicans’ heavy losses in the midterm elections.
However, Hegseth’s political future appears increasingly uncertain, with growing calls for his removal over his handling of the Iran war, which President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance have blamed for the party’s electoral setbacks.
The Democrats’ victories gave them control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, intensifying scrutiny of the Trump administration’s decisions.
Reports have suggested that some Republicans are pushing for Hegseth to be replaced, while outgoing Republican Representative Thomas Massie has threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against the defence secretary as early as next week.
Massie told Politico that he intended to proceed with his impeachment resolution and urged Trump to replace Hegseth before a new Democratic-controlled Congress takes office in January.
In a post on X, Massie argued that Trump should act while Republicans still have the ability to secure confirmation of a replacement through the Senate.
Hegseth has responded defiantly, releasing a video statement attacking the impeachment effort as politically motivated.
Describing the proposed proceedings as “sham articles of impeachment”, he accused a “disgruntled, defeated congressman” and his Democratic allies of attempting to undermine him.
“You see, they attack me. They attack us because we are effective,” he said. “It’s not going to work. We will not back down.”
He also defended his record, highlighting efforts to boost military recruitment, rebuild the defence industrial base and eliminate diversity initiatives as part of Trump’s America First agenda.
Meanwhile, Trump has indicated that he has no immediate plans to remove Hegseth.
In a telephone interview with ABC News, the president acknowledged receiving calls about the defence secretary but said he had “every intention” of keeping him.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, Trump also praised Hegseth, declaring that he had “done a fantastic job”.
He cited several achievements under Hegseth’s leadership, including the January arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and the ongoing war with Iran, which has entered its ninth month.
The Washington Post, however, reported that Trump could be considering changes involving other senior military figures, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper, both of whom played significant roles in advising on the Iran war.
While Hegseth faces mounting pressure, Rubio has rejected speculation that he is preparing to leave the State Department ahead of a possible 2028 presidential campaign.
In an interview with The New York Times, Rubio said remaining in the administration until the end of Trump’s term had “always been my plan”.
“I love the work I’m doing,” he said, dismissing reports about his departure.
He also joked about the speculation, saying: “I always laugh when they say he’s going to leave his job. I go, ‘Which one?'”
Both the White House and the State Department have also rejected reports suggesting Rubio could step down following the election losses, describing them as “fake news”.
Hegseth has also been linked to speculation about a possible bid for an open Tennessee Senate seat, although no decision has been announced.
The developments have exposed growing political pressure within Trump’s administration as Republicans face questions over their election performance and the consequences of the Iran war.
