Will Hegseth Take The Fall for Republican Losses? - Newsweek

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing mounting calls for impeachment following Republicans' bruising midterm election losses Tuesday, with Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, expected to introduce articles of impeachment when Congress returns next week.

The emerging effort comes as President Donald Trump publicly reaffirmed his support for Hegseth on Wednesday despite reports that he has privately discussed the defense secretary's future with advisers.

Asked whether he was considering replacing Hegseth after the election setback, Trump told reporters: "No, I think he's doing a very good job."

The White House later said the president retained "full confidence" in the Pentagon chief. Newsweek reached out to the White House and the Department of War by email for additional comment.

The clash between Trump's public backing and growing calls for Hegseth's removal has placed the defense secretary at the center of one of the administration's first major post-midterm political battles.

The number of lawmakers publicly calling for Hegseth's ouster has grown since Tuesday's election results. Democrats have focused their criticism on how Hegseth has handled the Iran war, particularly a strike campaign against suspected drug vessels that killed at least 240 people.

Republican Representatives Mike Rogers of Alabama and Dusty Johnson of South Dakota have expressed concern about internal friction at the Pentagon.

Massie, who introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September, has said he intends to force a House vote on the measure shortly after Congress returns from the midterm recess. Massie told Roll Call the effort is a "week one" priority for the lame-duck session.

Newsweek reached out to Massie's office by email for comment.

Incoming House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith has also pledged investigations into Pentagon decision-making and the administration's handling of conflicts abroad. Democratic Representative Yassamin Ansari of Arizona has publicly backed accountability efforts against Hegseth.

Democratic Representative James Walkinshaw of Virginia wrote on X,"Pete Hegseth has failed America and our service members. "When the House votes on impeachment, I'm voting to impeach him."

Days before the election, Representative Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, said on CBS News' Face the Nation that ousting Hegseth from the Pentagon was his "priority number one" if Democrats retake the House.

Questions about Hegseth's future intensified after reports that Trump has privately asked advisers whether the defense secretary should remain in his position following Republican losses.

Trump publicly rejected suggestions that he was preparing to dismiss Hegseth.

Asked directly about reports that Hegseth's future was under review, Trump replied: "No, I think he's doing a very good job."

Trump also dismissed speculation that Hegseth could be moved into another role, saying he had not heard discussions about appointing him to a Senate vacancy.

The speculation surrounding Hegseth has prompted comparisons with former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who resigned one day after Republicans suffered heavy losses in the 2006 midterm elections amid widespread public dissatisfaction with the Iraq War.

Peter Feaver, a Duke University political scientist and former National Security Council official in the George W. Bush administration, told Newsweek that personnel changes after midterm elections are not uncommon.

"Traditionally, Presidents look to make changes after midterms. Part of this is natural, with burned-out staffers who had long-planned to leave but held off so as not to interfere with the midterms. And, especially after a punishing result at the polls, part of it is cleaning house, signaling that they have listened to the voters and will move in a different direction requiring new personnel."

Feaver said many observers have drawn comparisons to Rumsfeld because critics have blamed Republican losses on voter dissatisfaction with the administration's handling of the war.

"The parallel everyone is talking about is 2006, when Republicans received from the voters what the president called 'a thumping,' with voter dissatisfaction with how the Iraq war was going as a major factor," he said.

However, Feaver cautioned that the comparison has limits.

"Rumsfeld resigned his post recognizing that he was the face of the Iraq war and that President Bush wanted to go in a different direction. It is less clear that President Trump wants to go in a different direction with Iran. His initial comments, even responding to his Vice President, signaled otherwise."

Hegseth, 46, is a former Army National Guard officer, veterans advocate and Fox News host who became one of Trump's most prominent political allies before being selected in January 2025 to lead the Pentagon.

A graduate of Princeton University, Hegseth served in Iraq, Afghanistan and at Guantanamo Bay. After leaving active military service, he led conservative veterans organizations including Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America before joining Fox News in 2014.

As a co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend, he became one of Trump's most visible defenders in conservative media and was later tapped to lead the Defense Department.

His nomination proved highly contentious and ultimately required Vice President JD Vance to cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate after several Republicans opposed his confirmation.

Hegseth has been among the most polarizing members of Trump's cabinet.

Before taking office, his confirmation process was overshadowed by scrutiny of allegations regarding his personal conduct, questions about alcohol use and criticism of his management experience. Hegseth denied wrongdoing and rejected suggestions he was unqualified for the position.

As defense secretary, he has faced criticism over Pentagon leadership changes, military personnel decisions and the administration's handling of military operations in the Middle East.

Democrats have accused him of politicizing the military and have demanded greater oversight of Pentagon decision-making. Supporters have countered that he has restored a focus on military readiness, rolled back diversity initiatives and closely implemented Trump's national security agenda.

Just last month, Hegseth drew criticism for suggesting that the public would be able to watch the firing-squad execution of former Army Major Nidal Hasan, who was sentenced to death for killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009.

“We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public,” Hegseth said at the time, arguing that people needed to understand there were “serious consequences” for such crimes. A Pentagon official subsequently said the execution would be livestreamed.

Trump later called off the livestream. Hegseth said he supported the president’s decision, while maintaining that execution by firing squad would have a deterrent effect regardless of whether it was broadcast.

Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Samantha Beech and Gray R. Thomas