President Donald Trump has been questioning advisers in person and by phone regarding whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should remain in his position following catastrophic Republican losses in the midterm elections on Tuesday, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.
Midterm Losses Spark Defense Leadership Questions
The Republican defeat saw Democrats sweep to victory and seize control of both chambers of Congress. Vice President JD Vance attributed the outcome directly to the ongoing conflict, stating on X on Wednesday morning: “The reason we lost is the war.” Similarly, Trump acknowledged to The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday night that “Iran was a piece of it,” though he defended his decision to launch the conflict and declared that he still thinks Hegseth is “terrific actually.”
White House aides have predicted that blame for the midterm losses could also be directed at Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, both of whom played major roles in military guidance on the Iran war. Meanwhile, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly defended the administration’s record in a statement, noting that Trump “has full confidence in Secretary Hegseth” and praising military operations in Iran and Venezuela alongside efforts to reverse the Biden Pentagon’s policies.
Senator Tillis (R-NC) warns Secretary Hegseth that he's coming for him in the lame duck. TILLIS on CBS: "…. But Pete Hegseth has a reckoning. Uh, he, he is one of the reasons why we don't have the funding or guarantee for defense that we need. I think after the election, we…
Did You Know? Prior to the midterm elections, Democrats were already attempting to impeach Pete Hegseth, and sources indicate that the likelihood of an impeachment effort could increase now that Democrats hold strong majorities in both chambers.
Sources discuss potential replacement for Hegseth
Amid the post-election fallout, one source told CBS News that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is being floated as a possible replacement for Hegseth. The proposal suggests DeSantis could undergo Senate confirmation during the lame-duck period and assume the defense secretary role after his gubernatorial term expires on Jan. 5. Despite these discussions, other sources emphasized that the president has not yet made a final decision to replace Hegseth.
Hegseth’s tenure at the Pentagon has faced persistent scrutiny outside of the election results. Controversies include a national security incident involving sensitive military strike information shared in a Signal group chat that accidentally included an Atlantic journalist, as well as an inquiry into an allegedly unlawful September 2025 Caribbean drug boat strike. Tensions among Pentagon officials rose following the October dismissal of Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia. Even so, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell rejected suggestions that Hegseth would retreat from congressional investigations, and people close to him told The Washington Post that he plans to serve for the remainder of Trump’s presidency.
Florida governor considered to replace Pete Hegseth
Who is being floated as a possible replacement for Pete Hegseth?
One source told CBS News that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is being considered to potentially take over the position after his term as governor expires on Jan. 5.
What did Vice President JD Vance say about the election results?
In a lengthy post on X on Wednesday morning, Vice President JD Vance stated that the ongoing war was the primary reason for the Republican defeat.
What was the White House response regarding Secretary Hegseth’s future?
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly issued a statement affirming that President Trump has full confidence in Secretary Hegseth and praising recent military operations.
How will the newly empowered congressional majorities approach their planned oversight and potential impeachment efforts concerning the Department of Defense in the coming weeks?
Related reading