Trump Backs Hegseth, but Iran War Fallout Puts Defense Chief at Risk

President Donald Trump publicly stood by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, but the fallout from Republican losses in the midterm elections has left the Pentagon chief under pressure from several directions, according to The Guardian and Axios. The Iran war, which voters and Trump have cited as a reason for the losses, is at the center of the criticism.

Axios reported that the House could vote as early as next week on impeaching Hegseth. Whether Trump ultimately keeps him is an open question, the outlets reported, as some Republicans and administration officials say he is a leading candidate to be held responsible.

What did Trump say about Hegseth after the election?

Asked by reporters Wednesday whether he was considering replacing Hegseth, Trump said no and described him as doing "a very good job," according to both outlets. Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson told USA Today that the entire department stands behind the secretary's vision.

Axios noted that Trump has a record of praising an embattled Cabinet member and then seeking that person's exit soon afterward. A Trump adviser told Axios that Hegseth is "definitely on thin ice," though the adviser added that this does not mean the president will force him out.

Why is impeachment on the table?

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, has filed eight impeachment accusations against Hegseth and plans to force a House vote soon, The Guardian reported. Axios said the measure accuses Hegseth of defying Congress and illegally continuing the war in Iran.

Democrats have also tried to impeach Hegseth before. Axios reported that with their new House majority arriving in January, those efforts could intensify. Democrats have promised investigations that aides say could cover the Iran war, the removal of top military officers including the chair of the joint chiefs of staff, Ukraine policy, and U.S. strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in Latin American waters. Some Democrats say those strikes could amount to war crimes.

How is the Iran war tied to the midterm results?

Axios reported that many voters oppose the war and the higher gas prices that followed Iran's closing of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump attacked Iran on Feb. 28. According to Axios, sources familiar with the discussions said Hegseth was the most eager voice before the attack and offered the most optimistic projections about how quickly it would end.

The Guardian reported that Trump said on March 23 that Hegseth was the first to urge action, arguing Iran could not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that he questioned whether the war was worth it and that it cost Republicans control of Congress. A Republican close to the White House told CNN that Hegseth has been dishonest or wrong about the war's timelines and goals. A former senior Pentagon official told CNN the war has been led mainly by the Defense Department.

Could Hegseth actually be replaced, and how?

Axios laid out several factors. One is the timing: a senior White House official said no nominee is expected to win confirmation in the new Congress, so any replacement would likely have to be pushed through in the lame-duck period before Jan. 3, while Republicans still hold the Senate.

Axios also described a possible exit route. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee is about to become governor and will be able to appoint her Senate successor. Hegseth owns a home in Tennessee. Trump said he thought Hegseth would be popular if he pursued that, but added that he had not heard anything about it.

Removing him through Congress looks harder. Axios reported that Trump allies in Congress have asked the administration to drop Hegseth, but acknowledge that a Senate effort to remove him would probably fail, since even in one scenario with 55 Democratic seats it would take 12 more votes in the 100-member chamber.

What does this mean for the Pentagon and Congress?

Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, told CBS News on Tuesday night that Hegseth has "a reckoning" coming, and said his strained relationships with lawmakers are undermining the administration's push for a $1.5 trillion defense spending package. Tillis said Congress should decide after the election whether Hegseth is the right person to make that case, given that the current Congress has only 60 days left.

Rep. Adam Smith, the Democrat expected to lead the House Armed Services Committee next year, promised vigorous oversight, from the Iran war to what he called the erosion of the armed forces' apolitical foundation.

How has Hegseth's side responded?

A Pentagon spokesperson told Axios that Hegseth will not be deterred by politicians seeking partisan points or launching investigations where no wrongdoing exists, and said the department has followed the law. Axios also reported that critics leaked to Politico that his new financial disclosure showed his wife worked for a consulting firm with Defense Department ties. One ally called the campaign against him an orchestrated effort, and the department said he is in full compliance with ethics laws and called the insinuations slander.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by The Guardian, Axios