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President Donald Trump said he has "every intention" of keeping Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in his job, even as both Republican and Democratic lawmakers prepare to move forward with impeachment proceedings against Hegseth in the wake of the GOP's historic midterm losses. Many Republicans blame Hegseth for advocating the U.S. war in Iran, which they say led to voter backlash and a "midterm shellacking" that cost their party control of both the House and Senate. Even Vice President JD Vance blamed the Iran conflict for the Republican defeat, and that Hegseth faces scrutiny for his policy decisions and public statements about the war.
The push to impeach Hegseth is gaining traction, with Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky expected to introduce a resolution as soon as Congress returns next week.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has strongly criticized Hegseth, vowing to "run Pete Hegseth out of town" as the new Democratic majority prepares to launch investigations into the administration.
Despite this mounting pressure, President Trump told ABC News he did not understand the criticism of Hegseth, saying, "I get these calls about him. I don’t understand why. I have every intention to keep him." Trump has privately expressed support for Hegseth, telling aides the defense secretary "is doing a very good job" and denying any plans to remove him.
Despite calls for his resignation, Hegseth remains defiant. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told Fox News, "Secretary Hegseth will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points or launch phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists."
If the House votes to impeach Hegseth, the process would move to the Senate for a trial, but with Democrats holding a new majority, the path forward remains uncertain. Meanwhile, President Trump continues to defend his decision to go to war, stating, "If I had it to do again, I’d have to do it again."