Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense, could become the first to resign after Republicans were defeated in the midterm elections, with Republican lawmakers already submitting an impeachment motion against him.
The news agency Axios reported on 5 Nov 2026 that Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense, might become the first "scapegoat" targeted after the Republican Party suffered a crushing defeat in the midterm elections last Tuesday.
From unpopular war policies against Iran among Americans to strained relations with opposition members of Congress, Hegseth has become the most vulnerable member of Trump’s cabinet.
“Hegseth is definitely standing on very thin ice,” one of Trump’s advisors told Axios. “That doesn’t mean the president will force him out immediately, but there are many complex issues involved.”
The House of Representatives is expected to consider an impeachment motion against Hegseth as early as next week, accusing him of contempt of Congress and unlawfully waging war on Iran.
The motion was filed by Thomas Massie, a Republican representative from Kentucky, who has been a strong critic of Israel and overseas wars.
The Iran war issue is directly linked to Hegseth’s risk of impeachment and the Republican midterm defeat, as many voters opposed the war and were unhappy with rising oil prices caused by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. attacks.
Several sources told Axios that before Trump’s attack on Iran on 28 Feb, Hegseth was the most enthusiastic about the war and was the most optimistic about how quickly and easily the conflict would resolve.
But as everyone knows, reality was different. Senior officials said that by August, U.S. Central Command (CentCom) had to seek new ways to pressure Iran, showing that military leaders had to reassess how to achieve strategic outcomes.
CentCom also questioned “when exactly Hegseth realized that our original strategy was not producing the results he had hoped and presented.”
On Wednesday, Donald Trump continued to show support for Hegseth, telling reporters that the defense secretary is “doing a very good job.”
However, throughout his tenure, Trump often praised officials under attack before eventually dismissing them. In Hegseth’s case, there are four factors Trump must consider.
Democratic representatives have previously tried to impeach Hegseth, and with them poised to regain the House majority in January next year, those efforts could intensify. The last thing Trump wants is an impeachment inquiry into Hegseth that inevitably examines Trump’s decision to attack Iran.
“Tonight’s results would have been very different without the Iran war,” a government official told Axios late Tuesday night (3 Nov). “I believe ultimately you’ll see the president come after Pete Hegseth, and that will happen during the ‘Lame Duck’ period, the transition when the old Congress ends and the new one starts on 3 Jan 2027.”
U.S. presidents have often reshuffled their administrations after bad midterm election results, especially George W. Bush, who dismissed Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld after the 2006 election. So it wouldn’t be surprising if Trump changes senior officials after such a major defeat.
Hegseth, surrounded by controversies, is a likely target. “Someone has to take the fall, and Pete is moving to the top of that list,” a U.S. official said.
If Trump plans to replace Hegseth, he needs to do so before January, because if the Senate shifts to Democratic control, confirming a new secretary would be nearly impossible. This gives Trump only a short window to push through a new defense secretary while Republicans still hold the majority.
“No one gets confirmed in the new Congress,” a senior White House official said. “We are working under that assumption.”
There is a potential way out for Hegseth: Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee is set to become governor and will have the authority to appoint her Senate replacement. Hegseth owns a home in Tennessee, giving him a connection there.
Trump supported this idea, saying on Wednesday, “I actually think he would be very popular if he did that, but I haven’t heard anything about it yet.”
When asked about the chances of impeachment and efforts to remove Hegseth, the secretary’s spokesperson said he would “not back down or surrender to politicians seeking political gain or to fake investigations over baseless allegations.”
“The Department of Defense has acted within the law, and our secretary will continue to stand firm and fight every day to protect the Constitution, lead the troops, and defend America.”
However, although Trump’s allies in Congress have called for action against Hegseth, they acknowledge that even if Democrats win 55 Senate seats, attempts to remove the secretary would likely fail since 12 additional votes are needed in the 100-member Senate.
“There are some Republican committee chairs in the Senate who really dislike Pete, but that’s still not enough,” a government official said.
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:axios