Iran War: Trump Consults Advisers on Pete Hegseth’s Future as Pentagon Chief

After the Republican defeat in the November 3 midterm elections, Donald Trump asked several advisers whether Pete Hegseth should remain as secretary of defense. Hegseth, Pentagon chief since January 2025, has played a central role in the war against Iran, launched by a joint U.S.-Israeli offensive on February 28, and reportedly dismissed or forced out at least 17 senior officers. Ron DeSantis has been mentioned as a possible successor, while some advisers believe Hegseth could be blamed for the defeat; Trump and the White House have nevertheless voiced confidence in him. Democrats retook both the House and Senate, and several Republicans have cited the war against Iran as a factor in their loss, which Trump acknowledged.