Trump Vows to Keep Hegseth at Pentagon Despite Midterm Losses

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will remain in his post, President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday, dismissing speculation that the war with Iran would force a leadership change. The President told reporters that Hegseth is "doing a great job" despite the political pressure building from Republicans' recent midterm losses.

The retention decision lands as Democrats, who now hold a majority in Congress, prepare to use their new power to investigate the Pentagon. Lawmakers plan to examine the Iran war, the legality of strikes on drug-smuggling boats, and the unexplained firings of senior military officers. Hegseth is expected to be a primary target for these inquiries.

The eight-month conflict with Iran has driven up gas prices and fueled voter frustration over living costs. These economic consequences are widely cited as a major factor in the Republican defeat in Tuesday's elections. Trump acknowledged the impact, telling reporters, "The Iran thing we had to do, and we continue to do it." He added that he believes the war will be worth it in the long term.

Hegseth declared a "historic and overwhelming victory" in April, yet fighting continued for months. The conflict resulted in American troops being killed and wounded, increased energy costs, and the consumption of expensive U.S. munitions that could take years to replace. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told ABC News on Wednesday that Hegseth is "100% committed to leading the Department until the end of President Trump's term in office."

Parnell also stated that Hegseth will not be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points or launch "phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists." Trump has privately sought input from Republicans close to the White House on how they view Hegseth's performance as the administration grapples with the election results.

Vice President JD Vance, a potential 2028 Republican presidential nominee, distanced himself from the conflict in a social media post on Wednesday. Vance blamed the war directly for the party's losses. "The reason we lost is the war," Vance wrote. "The president himself said so last night."

Vance argued that while Republicans could defend the decision to go to war, they must acknowledge the electoral consequences. He stated, "If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so." He urged for an honest conversation about where the party goes from there.

In Tennessee, Sen. Marsha Blackburn won the gubernatorial race on Tuesday. She declined to speculate on who might fill her Senate seat, saying, "It's not a conversation for today." Trump predicted Hegseth would be "very popular" in the state if he were to run for that seat.

Polling data from ABC News shows that 34% of U.S. House voters said the war in Iran was crucial to their vote. A larger share, 49%, cited the cost of living, while 55% said government corruption was a decisive factor in their choice.