US President Donald Trump has ruled out firing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying he is doing a "very good job", despite reports that he had been asking advisers whether Hegseth should remain in his position after Republicans suffered major losses in Tuesday's midterm elections.
"No, I think he's doing a very good job," Trump said on Wednesday when asked whether he was considering replacing Hegseth, a strong supporter of military action against Iran, according to WSJ.
Trump had earlier raised questions about Hegseth's future with people around him and during phone conversations, CBS News reported, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Trump aides may blame Iran war leaders for GOP losses
Some White House aides believe that Hegseth may not be the only person blamed for the Republican Party's election defeat. They expect some of the criticism to be directed at Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, and Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CBS News reported.
Cooper and Caine played important roles in providing guidance on the US war with Iran. Some White House aides believe their involvement in decisions related to the war could also bring criticism following the Republican losses.
Trump had weighed Hegseth's future before publicly backing him
Before Trump's latest statement, sources familiar with the discussions told CBS News that he had not made a final decision on whether to remove Hegseth as defense secretary. His future in the position had remained uncertain amid discussions within the administration.
Hegseth was already facing pressure from Democrats before the midterm elections. Democrats had been trying to impeach him, and their efforts could gain more support following the election results.
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The possibility of impeachment proceedings against Hegseth could increase because Democrats are now expected to hold strong majorities in both chambers of Congress.
Ron DeSantis was discussed as possible Hegseth replacement
Before Trump's latest remarks, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was being discussed as a possible replacement for Hegseth, one source told CBS News. DeSantis could be considered for the defense secretary's position if Trump changed his mind about keeping Hegseth.
The source suggested that DeSantis could complete the Senate confirmation process during the lame-duck period, which is the time between an election and the start of the newly elected Congress.
Under this proposed arrangement, DeSantis could take over as defense secretary after his term as Florida governor ends on January 5. This would allow him to move from the governor's office to the Pentagon, according to the source cited by CBS News.
White House backs Hegseth amid replacement reports
Responding to reports about Hegseth's possible removal, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said that Trump continues to have full confidence in the defense secretary. In a statement, Kelly said Trump "has full confidence in Secretary Hegseth." She also praised the US military operations in Iran and Venezuela, as noted by CBS News.
Kelly further defended Hegseth's work at the Pentagon, praising his efforts to reverse what she described as the Biden administration Pentagon's focus on “DEI and woke ideology.”
Trump's latest remarks indicate that he is publicly backing Hegseth despite reports of internal discussions about his future and the possibility of DeSantis replacing him.
