Washington, DC [US], November 5 (ANI): ry of War Pete Hegseth over the administration's handling of the war in Iran.Following a historic Republican defeat in the 2026 US midterm elections that saw Democrats reclaim control of both chambers of Congress, pressure is mounting rapidly on President Donald Trump to dismiss Secreta
Despite growing calls for Hegseth's departure from both sides of the aisle, President Trump doubled down on his Secretary of War on Thursday, insisting he intends to keep him in office.
"I have every intention to keep him. I get these calls, you know, about him. I don't understand why," President Trump told ABC News, the outlet's chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl wrote in a post on X.
The push to remove Hegseth is being led by senior Democrats and anti-war Republicans who attribute the electorate's sharp rebuke directly to the military campaign in the Middle East.
https://x.com/RepJeffries/status/2118312668557869512?s=08
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries targeted the Pentagon chief directly on X, writing, "Why is Pete Hegseth still around?"
Representative Jason Crow (D-CO), a House Armed Services Committee member, called Hegseth "incompetent," asserting that "every day that he’s in the Pentagon... is a day that our service members... are at greater risk."
Representative Patrick Ryan (D-NY), a former Army intelligence officer, echoed the sentiment, stating that the new Democratic majority's first priority must be removing Hegseth.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) issued a direct ultimatum, threatening to reintroduce a 34-page impeachment resolution against Hegseth when Congress reconvenes unless the secretary steps down immediately. "There is one contingency in which I won’t reintroduce the articles of impeachment: Hegseth resigns."
The scrutiny of Hegseth coincides with stark admissions from within the White House regarding the political cost of the Iran war.
In a public assessment, Vice President JD Vance explicitly linked the midterm losses to the conflict. "The real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone... The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night," said Vance.
Acknowledging Vance’s assessment, President Trump conceded that the war contributed to short-term economic strain, particularly elevated gasoline prices, but fiercely defended the decision.
"Well, I think it's largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short-term, and probably that's uh probably it's true. But at the same time, if I had it to do again, I'd have to do it again because long-term, it's the only answer. You can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon."
Trump also dismissed speculation that Democrats might pursue presidential impeachment, claiming such an action "would destroy the Democratic Party."
The sharp remark comes as Democrats celebrate victories in key House and Senate races, intensifying pressure on the Trump administration. Hegseth has faced mounting scrutiny from Democrats and select Republicans over the leadership of Hegseth and the administration's management of the ongoing conflict with Iran.
However, CBS News, citing multiple individuals familiar with the situation, stated that following a bruising round of midterm elections that resulted in major losses for the ruling party, United States President Donald Trump is reportedly evaluating whether to retain Pete Hegseth as the Secretary of War, with the ongoing Iran war serving as a central point in internal discussions.
According to the outlet, Trump has raised the matter during phone conversations and consultations with close advisers, though a final decision regarding a potential personnel change has not yet been reached. These deliberations coincide with growing scrutiny within Washington regarding the broader political impact of the US war in Iran.
Beyond cabinet-level evaluations, White House aides indicate that top senior military officials may also encounter mounting pressure following the election outcome. Sources noted that Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, could face legislative and public oversight due to their advisory roles concerning the Iran war.
Meanwhile, US Republican Congressman Thomas Massie issued an ultimatum to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, stating that he will not reintroduce the impeachment effort if the Pentagon chief steps down.
“There is one contingency in which I won’t reintroduce the articles of impeachment: Hegseth resigns,” Massie posted on X on November 4, addressing a report published by CNN.
According to CNN's November 4 coverage, Massie intends to trigger a House vote on the impeachment effort when federal legislators return for the next session. Citing multiple Republican insiders, the report noted that parliamentarians anticipated the measure would successfully clear the chamber.
Representative Jason Crow, a United States Congressman representing Colorado's 6th Congressional District and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth “needs to go.”
“He’s incompetent...Every day that he’s in the Pentagon, Major, is a day that our service members, our men and women, our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters are at greater risk,” Crow told CBS News.
Patrick Ryan, who represents New York's 18th congressional district and is a former U.S. Army intelligence officer, said the first job will be getting rid of Hegseth.
Weighing heavily on the administration's internal calculations of the midterm defeat, Vice President JD Vance directly attributed the Republican Party's sweeping midterm defeat to the war with Iran, arguing that voter dissatisfaction over the conflict had prompted a significant number of supporters who backed the Trump-Vance ticket in 2024 to vote for Democratic candidates in 2026.
In a lengthy post on X, Vance rejected arguments that inadequate Republican voter turnout was primarily responsible for the defeat, saying internal polling indicated that many former supporters had switched sides.
"The real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone... The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night," Vance wrote.
Trump also agreed with Vice President JD Vance's assessment, acknowledging that the conflict drove up gasoline prices in the short term but insisting that military action against Tehran was necessary to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Responding to media questions about Vance attributing the party's electoral setback to the Iran war, Trump said the assessment was "largely true", while maintaining that he would make the same decision if given another opportunity.
"Well, I think it's largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short-term, and probably that's uh probably it's true. But at the same time, if I had it to do again, I'd have to do it again because long-term, it's the only answer. You can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.
Reiterating his defence of the military campaign, the US President said Washington had no alternative but to act against Iran, despite the political and economic consequences of the conflict.
Asked about the possibility of Democrats pursuing impeachment proceedings against him, Trump dismissed the prospect, saying such an initiative would damage the Democratic Party."I think it would destroy the Democratic Party if they did that. Because impeachment for no reason. What? For having a successful country? Our country is more successful now than at any time in its history," he said.
Speculation surrounding a potential departure from the Pentagon has simultaneously prompted discussion regarding potential replacements.
According to a separate report, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has emerged as a possible candidate for the position. Observers suggest DeSantis could potentially navigate Senate confirmation during the lame-duck period ahead of assuming the defence portfolio following the conclusion of his gubernatorial tenure on January 5.
Even prior to the legislative setbacks, Hegseth was already facing calls for impeachment from opposition lawmakers. With Democrats projected to secure strong majorities across both chambers of Congress, legislative pressure and potential impeachment proceedings could intensify.
Earlier on September 15, ABC News reported that Congressman Massie had presented the 34-page resolution directly on the House floor on September 15, detailing grievances that encompassed government military operations, civilian casualties and the management of the Iran conflict.
Furthermore, the documents claimed that Hegseth overstepped his authority during military operations spanning Iran, Yemen, Venezuela and additional territories, while bypassing parliamentary oversight. These remain contentions raised exclusively by Massie and have not been validated as formal findings of official misconduct.
The initial impeachment effort stalled before reaching a formal floor vote prior to the House adjourning for the midterm campaigning period.
This renewed push for impeachment coincides with heightened scrutiny surrounding Hegseth's tenure in the Trump administration in the wake of GOP midterm defeats.
This comes amid a broader Democratic resurgence in the 2026 midterm elections, with US networks projecting that the party will reclaim control of both chambers of Congress, significantly shifting the balance of power in Washington.
A Democratic majority in the House would allow the party to intensify congressional scrutiny of President Donald Trump's administration through investigations and hearings. Control of the Senate would also give Democrats greater influence over legislation and presidential nominations. (ANI)
"Why is Pete Hegseth still around?": Democrats, GOP Lawmakers demand Secy of War's ouster after midterm loss, Trump vows to keep him
