Trump Asks Advisers Whether Hegseth Should Stay After Midterm Losses, Sources Tell CBS; White House Says 'Full Confidence'

Since Democrats swept Tuesday's midterms, the fight over Pete Hegseth has moved from Capitol Hill into the White House itself. Multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News on Wednesday, Nov. 4, that President Trump has been asking advisers, in person and by phone, whether Hegseth should stay as defense secretary.

The same reporting says Trump has not decided to replace him.

What the White House says

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement that Trump "has full confidence in Secretary Hegseth." She also praised U.S. military operations in Iran and Venezuela, and credited Hegseth with reversing the Biden Pentagon's focus on "DEI and woke ideology."

That matches what Trump said a few days before the vote. On Oct. 29 he called Hegseth "a great warrior" and said he is "the best at his job in many, many years." Trump also warned Democrats against impeachment, saying: "If we wanted to play that game, we could play it just as well."

People close to Hegseth told The Washington Post he intends to stay for the rest of Trump's term. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell rejected suggestions that Hegseth would step back in the face of congressional investigations.

The Iran war and the blame game

Vice President JD Vance put the cause of the losses in plain terms. "The reason we lost is the war," he wrote in a lengthy post on X on Wednesday morning. Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday night that Iran "was a piece of it."

Some White House aides expect a share of the blame to land on Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Both played major roles in guiding the Iran campaign, according to CBS's sources.

The Atlantic reported on Nov. 1 that Trump had been asking allies about the performance of both Hegseth and Caine. That was before voters weighed in.

A possible successor

One source told CBS that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is being floated as a replacement. The argument, as that source described it, is that DeSantis could be confirmed by the Senate during the lame-duck period and take the job when his term as governor expires Jan. 5.

No one on the record has confirmed that idea. The White House statement did not address it.

Impeachment and Democratic pressure

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September. He has said he will reintroduce them after the midterms. CBS notes that Democrats were already trying to impeach Hegseth before the election, and that the odds of an effort rise now that the party holds strong majorities in both chambers.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has stopped short of committing to it. On Oct. 24 he told MS NOW: "Pete Hegseth needs to be pushed aside by the president, or we're going to have to deal with that situation if he is not." Asked about impeachment, he said he would act consistently with what he has said "from the very beginning," which is that Trump should fire him.

Removal of an executive branch official by impeachment still requires a two-thirds Senate vote.

A Pentagon already in turnover

Hegseth's tenure has featured heavy turnover. UPI counted some two dozen generals, admirals and senior civilian officials who have resigned, retired early or been fired, several after clashes with him. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submitted his resignation in late August after reported disputes with Hegseth. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) responded by saying he had "never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country."

The latest departure was Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, director of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Staff. A spokesman for Caine said Sylvia was removed in the week of Oct. 29. Axios reported that a Pentagon investigation found Sylvia admitted on video to leaking classified information about Iran and Ukraine policy to two reporters after failing four polygraph tests. Parnell said the case has been referred to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. Sylvia has not been charged with anything.

What to watch

Two dates matter. Massie has promised to refile his impeachment articles once the new political reality settles. DeSantis's term ends Jan. 5, which is the clock behind the one concrete replacement scenario now circulating.

Trump has said publicly he backs Hegseth. Whether that holds as the blame for the Iran war gets sorted out is the open question.