Trump backs Hegseth after midterm losses as Iran war blame swirls

President Donald Trump stood by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, saying he was doing "a very good job" when asked whether he was considering replacing him. The public support came a day after Democrats secured majorities in both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections.

Voter anger over the Iran war and its economic fallout featured prominently in the election results. Trump has described Hegseth as a champion of the war, recalling that on March 23 he said Hegseth was the first to speak up for military action because Iran could not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.

Inside the administration, opinions about Hegseth's future remain divided. A White House official told Fox News Digital that the election results "would have looked very different without the Iran War" and predicted Trump would ultimately hold Hegseth accountable during the lame-duck period.

Other sources suggested Hegseth could still be ousted. A former White House staffer said Hegseth is "on the chopping block," while another administration official said there were "signs" he could be removed, though Trump can change his mind quickly.

Vice-President JD Vance publicly questioned on Wednesday whether the Iran war was worth it and said it had cost Republicans control of Congress. Republican Senator Thom Tillis told CBS News that Hegseth faced "a reckoning" and that his strained relationship with lawmakers was undermining the push for a US$1.5 trillion defence spending package.

The Defence Department said Hegseth was "100 per cent committed" to leading the Pentagon until the end of Trump's term on January 20, 2029. Hegseth also faces an impeachment threat, with Representative Thomas Massie having filed articles of impeachment against him earlier this year for launching hostilities against Iran without congressional approval.