Trump backs Hegseth as Defense Secretary despite Republican losses

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he believes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is doing "a very good job," rejecting calls for his replacement after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in midterm elections driven by voter anger over the Iran war. Trump's endorsement contrasts with President George Bush's firing of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld after the 2006 midterms, though sources say Hegseth could still be replaced as Republicans assess losses. Vice President JD Vance publicly questioned the war's worth, and Republican Senator Thom Tillis warned of "a reckoning" for Hegseth over strained congressional relations. Hegseth faces potential Democratic investigations into the Iran war, military purges, and other actions, with Representative Thomas Massie having filed impeachment articles against him. A possible alternative is filling Tennessee's Senate seat vacated by Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn, which Trump said Hegseth would be "very popular" doing.