Pete Hegseth under fire as Republicans trade blame for midterm debacle

Republicans in Washington continued to assess the damage on Thursday, after a resounding electoral defeat in the midterm elections two days prior saw Democrats take over Congress by large margins.

Republican Party insiders told US outlets CNN and The Washington Post that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is feeling the heat over criticism that the war in Iran, which he supports, cost his party the elections.

Trump on Wednesday acknowledged that the Iran war affected the midterms, saying that voters were frustrated how the 8-month-long conflict has cause gas and diesel prices to skyrocket.

"The Iran thing we had to do, and we continue to do it," Trump told reporters, but he ultimately defended the war effort and denied any plans to fire his defense secretary over it, saying Hegseth was "doing a very good job."

But US Vice President JD Vance has sought to distance himself from the war, questioning whether it was worth the cost.

"The ⁠reason ⁠we lost is the war," Vance said on X. "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."

Hegseth has been a loud voice in Washington for the US attacking Iran, and has publicly chastised lawmakers and journalists for raising questions about the conflict's strategic objectives, cost and lack of congressional authorization.

The defense secretary has also been accused of not being forthright about the damage to US bases in the Middle East and the severity of troop casualties. He has also purged dozens of high ranking military officers, while denying promotions to others on dubious grounds.

Hegseth was in hot water even before the Iran war. In October 2025, a Signal group chat between himself and Vice President JD Vance discussing a military strike on Yemen in October 2025 accidentally included a journalist, and led to calls for Hegseth's dismissal.

According to CNN's reporting, multiple Republicans told the network on condition of anonymity that many in their party are now turning against the defense secretary.

Sources also told the Washington Post that the political situation at the Defense Department appears "very dynamic at the moment," with "knives out."

With Trump backing Hegseth for now, The Post reported that those close to the Trump administration have floated the notion that the president might dismiss General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or Admiral Brad Cooper, who has overseen the war, instead of the embattled Hegseth.

Pressure is mounting in Capitol Hill, as Hegseth's critics from both sides of the aisle turn their focus on him.

CNN reported that House Republicans are expected to hold an impeachment vote to directly repudiate the defense secretary in a matter of days.

Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who has been a critic of Trump, told CNN he plans to trigger the impeachment, which multiple GOP sources say is expect to pass.

In September, Massie had said he would force a vote in the House on impeaching Hegseth, which led to House Speaker Mike Johnson sending Congress into recess until after the midterms.

On Thursday, Massie posted on X that his impeachment resolution is a "much gentler" version of what's coming when the Democrats take over Congress in January.

"They'll have hearings & trials," he wrote.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that Hegseth "will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points or launch phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists."

"We will continue to drive President Trump's agenda at the Department of War — despite threats of sham witch hunts from Democrats — and Secretary Hegseth is 100% committed to leading the Department until the end of President Trump's term in office," Parnell added, using the administration's name for the Department of Defense.

Fresh off their sweeping wins, Democrats will have the power to launch investigations on Hegseth and even slash funding for the Defense Department and the Iran war.

"I'm going after Pete Hegseth. Not only is he incompetent and corrupt, he's undermining our national security and the safety of our troops," said Representative Jason Crow, a Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Representative Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the committee, said a top priority would be "to conduct vigorous oversight of the Department of Defense and the Trump Administration," including on "the illegal war against Iran."