US President Donald Trump has discussed with close advisers whether Pete Hegseth should continue as Secretary of War following the ruling party's setbacks in the midterm elections, according to a CBS News report.
Trump raised the possibility of a change in leadership at the Pentagon during phone conversations and consultations with advisers, the report said, citing several people familiar with the discussions. However, no final decision has been taken on Hegseth's future.
The deliberations come amid growing scrutiny of the administration's handling of the war in Iran and its political fallout. Senior military officials, including US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, could also face increased scrutiny over their roles in advising the administration on the conflict, sources told CBS News.
Vice President JD Vance has directly linked the war to the ruling party's electoral setback. In a post on X, Vance said, "The reason we lost is the war."
Amid speculation over a possible change at the Pentagon, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has emerged as a potential successor to Hegseth, according to a separate report. DeSantis could secure Senate confirmation during the lame-duck period before his term as governor ends on January 5.
Trump, however, publicly dismissed the possibility of removing Hegseth from the Cabinet. Asked by reporters whether he was considering replacing the defence chief, the President said, "No, I think he's doing a very good job."
Asked whether Hegseth could instead move to the US Senate to fill a vacant seat in Tennessee, Trump said, "I actually think he'd be very popular if he did that," while adding that he had "haven't heard that at all."
The White House also sought to dismiss speculation about Hegseth's position. Spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Trump "has full confidence in Secretary Hegseth".
She defended the administration's military operations in Iran and Venezuela and praised Hegseth for rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives introduced by the previous administration.
Hegseth was facing calls for impeachment from opposition lawmakers even before the midterm elections. With Democrats projected to secure majorities in both chambers of Congress, pressure on the Pentagon chief and the possibility of impeachment proceedings could intensify.
(With inputs from ANI)
