White House denies Hegseth and Rubio are set to leave their posts
Pressure grows on the defence secretary over the Iran war, while the State Department also rejects reports that its chief may go.
Key points
- The White House denied reports that Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio might leave their jobs.
- Calls to replace Hegseth focus on his handling of the Iran war, which is blamed for Republican election losses.
- Republican Thomas Massie plans to trigger an impeachment resolution against Hegseth early next week.
- Rubio said serving until the end of Trump's term has always been his plan.
- Trump said he intends to keep Hegseth, despite having received calls about him.
The White House has rejected reports that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio could be preparing to leave their posts, according to BBC News. The denials come after heavy losses for Republicans in this week’s midterm elections, which handed Democrats control of both chambers of Congress.
Hegseth faces the greater pressure. US media have reported calls for him to be replaced, mainly over his handling of the Iran war, which many blame for the election results. A departing Republican legislator has vowed to move forward with a House vote on removing Hegseth, possibly during the coming week.
Read also: Vance blames Iran war for midterm losses; Trump partly agrees
Hegseth responds
In a video statement, Hegseth defended his record and rejected the impeachment effort. He called it a sham driven by a defeated congressman and his Democratic allies. He said the Pentagon had revived military recruitment, rebuilt the defence industrial base and removed diversity programmes under his leadership.
Representative Thomas Massie, a frequent critic of the president, told Politico he would trigger his impeachment resolution early next week. On X, he urged Trump to make any replacement before the new Democratic-led Congress takes office in January, so that a successor could be confirmed by the Senate while Republicans still hold it.
Rubio and the wider shake-up
Rubio has also dismissed reports that he might leave. He told The New York Times that serving until the end of Trump’s term has always been his plan. He said he found talk of his departure rather amusing, asking which job people thought he might give up.
The White House and the State Department both called the reports fake news. Rubio has been linked in some coverage to a possible 2028 presidential run.
Trump told ABC News that he had received calls about Hegseth but still held every intention of keeping him. At the White House he praised Hegseth’s work and pointed to achievements including the January arrest of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s head of state, and the ongoing conflict with Iran, which has reached its ninth month. The Washington Post reported that Trump may be considering removing General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or Admiral Brad Cooper, head of Centcom. Both have played major roles in advising on the war.
Why it matters
Both Trump and his deputy JD Vance have placed responsibility on the Iran conflict for the Republican defeats, which handed Democrats control of both congressional chambers. A BBC analysis described Vance as balancing loyalty to Trump with a sharp critique of the war after the vote.
Hegseth has also been rumoured to be interested in an open Senate seat in Tennessee, though this has not been confirmed. The coming weeks will show how far the administration changes its national security team before the new Congress begins. For now, the White House maintains that neither secretary is leaving.
Related: Rural voters turned against Republicans over prices, poll suggests
Frequently asked questions
Is Pete Hegseth going to leave his job?
The White House has denied reports that Hegseth might leave as defence secretary. Calls to replace him exist, and a Republican congressman plans to push an impeachment vote next week.
Is Marco Rubio leaving the State Department?
Rubio has denied reports that he is considering leaving his post. He said working for Trump until the end of the term has always been his plan, and the State Department called the reports fake news.
Why are calls growing for Hegseth to be replaced?
US media report that critics focus on his handling of the Iran war. Trump and Vance have both blamed the war for heavy Republican losses in the midterm elections.
Sources
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