Key Points

  • Trump said on 4 November that Hegseth is doing “a very good job” and that he is not considering replacing him.
  • CBS News reported Trump had asked advisers whether Hegseth should stay after the midterm losses; no final decision has been made.
  • One Trump adviser said Hegseth “could be on the chopping block” because of the Iran war.
  • Republican Thomas Massie warned he will renew his impeachment effort against Hegseth unless Hegseth resigns.
  • Democrats, who now control both chambers, have promised to investigate Hegseth’s handling of the Pentagon and the Iran war.

President Donald Trump publicly backed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, 4 November, telling reporters Hegseth is doing “a very good job” — even as advisers privately questioned whether Hegseth should stay.

What happened

Trump spoke to reporters a day after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections on 3 November, a result widely linked to voter anger over the Iran war. Asked directly whether he was considering replacing Hegseth, whom he has described as a champion of the war, Trump said: “No, I think he’s doing a very good job.”

Behind the public praise, a different picture was forming. CBS News reported on 4 November, citing multiple people familiar with the discussions, that Trump had asked advisers whether Hegseth should remain as Secretary of War after the election defeat. No final decision had been made, the report said.

Sources close to the discussions told Reuters that Trump could still replace Hegseth as Republicans assess their losses. One Trump adviser said Hegseth “could be on the chopping block” because of the war.

The White House moved quickly to close down the speculation. Spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Trump had full confidence in Hegseth. The Defence Department said Hegseth was “100% committed” to leading the Pentagon until the end of Trump’s term, which ends on 20 January 2029. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Hegseth would continue to drive Trump’s agenda and that the Pentagon “has followed the law.”

Hegseth has been a polarising figure, making enemies even within his own Republican Party. Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican, warned on Wednesday that he will renew his effort to impeach Hegseth unless he resigns, bringing the impeachment resolution before the House when lawmakers return next week. Massie first introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth on 15 September, accusing him of exceeding his authority in military operations and bypassing congressional oversight.

Democrats have promised to investigate Hegseth and his handling of the Pentagon, and aides say that could include everything from his handling of the Iran war to his purges of top military officers, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Why the Hegseth question matters

The Hegseth question sits at the centre of the Republican blame game after the midterms. Trump has already lost his House leader — Speaker Mike Johnson told staff on 4 November he will not seek the Republican leader job in the next Congress — and Senator Ted Cruz has warned of two years of relentless impeachment. Hegseth, as the public face of the Iran war, is the next name in the firing line, and how Trump handles him will signal whether the president intends to defend his war cabinet or sacrifice it to steady the party. Read more: Cruz warns of relentless impeachment and Johnson quits House GOP leadership race.

There is also a practical twist. One long-rumoured possibility for Hegseth would be filling the Senate seat that will be vacated by Senator Marsha Blackburn, who was elected on Tuesday to become Tennessee’s next governor starting in January. Asked whether he wanted Hegseth to fill the seat, Trump said: “Well, I think, I think he’s doing a very good job, and I actually think he’d be very popular if he did that.”

Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has emerged as a possible successor, according to a CBS News report citing a source familiar with the discussions. DeSantis could potentially secure Senate confirmation during the lame-duck period before his term as Florida governor ends on 5 January. The reports have not established that Trump has decided to replace Hegseth or formally offered the position to DeSantis.

What happens next

No decision has been announced, and the White House insists Hegseth stays. But the pressure is building from three directions at once: Massie’s impeachment ultimatum, the incoming Democratic investigations, and Trump’s own private doubts. If Hegseth resigns or is replaced, the lame-duck confirmation window gives Trump a narrow chance to install a successor before the new Democratic Congress takes over. If he stays, he faces months of hearings into the war he helped run. Either way, the “very good job” line will be tested against the advisers who already put him on the chopping block.

Sources: Reuters; The Statesman; CBS News via Mathrubhumi. Published 5 November 2026, 18:30 +08. All facts verified against the original source and one independent source. Quotes are exact.