After the Republicans' midterm defeat, US Defense Secretary Hegseth under fire

Republican defeat and the search for culprits

Republicans in Washington continued to assess the damage on Thursday, November 5, after a major defeat in the midterm elections two days earlier: Democrats won majorities in both chambers of Congress. This is reported by Deutsche Welle citing Republican Party insiders who told CNN and The Washington Post that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is 'feeling the heat' over criticism: the war with Iran, which he supports, is being blamed for the election loss.

Trump acknowledges the war's impact but defends the secretary

On Wednesday, Trump acknowledged that the war with Iran affected the election: voters, he said, were irritated that over eight months of conflict gasoline and diesel prices had risen sharply. 'With Iran, we had to do it, and we keep doing it,' he told journalists, but ultimately defended the military operation and dismissed plans to fire the defense secretary, noting that Hegseth is 'doing a very good job.' Vice President JD Vance, by contrast, is distancing himself from the war and questioning whether it was worth the cost. 'The reason we lost is the war,' he wrote on X, adding that anyone who wishes may argue whether losing the Senate for the next six years was worth it.

'Knives out' at the Pentagon

Hegseth was a loud advocate of the strike on Iran and publicly scolded lawmakers and journalists for asking about the conflict's strategic goals, its cost, and the lack of congressional authorization. He was also accused of being less than candid about damage to American bases in the Middle East and the severity of military casualties, as well as of purging dozens of senior officers and denying promotions on dubious grounds. His troubles began even before the war with Iran: in October 2025, a group chat on Signal between him and Vance about a military strike on Yemen accidentally included a journalist, which led to calls for the secretary's resignation. According to CNN, several Republicans, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that many in the party are now opposed to the secretary. Sources at The Washington Post describe the atmosphere at the Defense Department as 'very dynamic,' with 'knives out.' While Trump backs Hegseth, people close to the administration are discussing the possibility that the president might instead fire the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, or Admiral Brad Cooper, who oversaw the war.

Impeachment vote and Democrats' plans

Pressure is mounting on Capitol Hill as well. CNN reportsthat Republicans in the House of Representatives plan to hold an impeachment vote in the coming days to express a direct vote of no confidence in the secretary. It is set to be initiated by Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie, a Trump critic; according to several GOP sources, the vote is expected to pass. In September, Massie had already announced his intention to force the House to vote, and Speaker Mike Johnson then sent Congress into recess until the election. On Thursday, Massie wrote on X that his resolution is a 'much milder' version of what awaits the secretary when Democrats take control of Congress in January: 'There will be hearings and trials.' Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that Hegseth 'will not back down and will not be intimidated by politicians,' and that he intends to lead the department until the end of Trump's term. The victorious Democrats will gain the right to investigate Hegseth's actions and even cut funding for the Defense Department and the war with Iran. 'I'm coming after Pete Hegseth. He is not only incompetent and corrupt, he is undermining our national security and the security of our service members,' said House Armed Services Committee member Jason Crow. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the committee, named 'vigorous oversight' of the department and the administration, including the 'illegal war against Iran,' as a priority.