Hegseth faces bipartisan Iran war criticism after GOP midterm defeat

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed calls for his impeachment as "political theatre" following the Republican Party's November 3 midterm election losses, but bipartisan criticism of his handling of the Iran war has persisted for months. Hegseth faced questioning from lawmakers over the military campaign's objectives, rising costs, and lack of an exit strategy. The Pentagon's estimated war expenditure grew from approximately $25 billion in April to $29 billion by May, with reports indicating Hegseth pushed for military action while Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio favored negotiations. Vance publicly blamed the Iran war for the Republican election setback, while President Donald Trump has continued to back Hegseth. Representative Thomas Massie has threatened to revive impeachment proceedings when Congress returns.