Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is keeping his job, President Trump said, but a new Pentagon chief could come before Democrats take control of Congress in January.
The president told ABC News on Thursday that he has “every intention” of keeping Mr. Hegseth in the Cabinet following a flurry of reports Wednesday that he was weighing whether to kick him to the curb after the GOP lost control of the House and Senate in Tuesday’s midterms.
Mr. Trump acknowledged that confirming a replacement would be easier before Democrats take over the Senate.
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In this session, Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, and Cabinet nominees need only a simple majority for confirmation.
Democrats flipped seven Republican-held seats Tuesday and are projected to hold at least 51 seats when the new Senate is seated in January, according to projected winners.
If the president keeps the Cabinet secretary in his role, a Democratic-controlled Congress may still move to impeach him.
Rep. Thomas Massie, Kentucky Republican, who introduced articles of impeachment against Mr. Hegseth in September, said he will force a vote when Congress returns next week.
The expected chairman of the House Armed Services Committee in the new Congress, Democrat Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, said before the election that he supports impeaching Mr. Trump and is inclined to back proceedings against Mr. Hegseth.
Sen. Thom Tillis, North Carolina Republican, who didn’t seek reelection, has called on Mr. Trump to fire Mr. Hegseth since at least September.
Impeachment requires a House majority, but removal requires a two-thirds Senate vote.
Mr. Hegseth’s job looked to be in jeopardy after voters disapproved of the Iran war in exit polls, as he is widely seen as one of the war’s biggest boosters in the administration.
Mr. Trump said Thursday that he has received calls from people concerned about Mr. Hegseth but said he didn’t “understand why.”
Mr. Trump said Wednesday he would not fire the secretary, adding, “I think he’s doing a very good job.”
On election night, he said Iran was “a piece of” why the GOP lost, along with his not being on the ballot.
Vice President J.D. Vance offered his postmortem on social media: “The reason we lost is the war.”
Asked Wednesday about Mr. Vance’s post, Mr. Trump said it is “largely true” that the Iran war contributed to the losses because it “drove the gasoline up a little bit short-term.”
The president also said Mr. Hegseth would be “very popular” if elected to replace GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who won the Tennessee governor’s race. She will take office in January and is expected to appoint her own successor to serve until a November 2028 special election.
Mr. Hegseth reportedly expressed interest in the seat.
Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson called the reports “beltway gossip by anonymous sources.”
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