What changed
The White House says Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will stay in their posts after Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in the midterms.
The political pressure is not equal:
- Rubio says leaving before a possible 2028 presidential run was never his plan.
- Republican Representative Thomas Massie says he will introduce an impeachment resolution against Hegseth early next week.
- Donald Trump says he intends to keep Hegseth and praised his performance.
Why it matters
The dispute puts Hegseth’s future on a shorter clock than Rubio’s. A Democratic-controlled Congress takes office in January, so Massie is urging Trump to act before then, while Republicans still control the Senate and can confirm replacements.
Hegseth is being blamed by Trump and Vice-President JD Vance for the election losses because of his handling of the Iran war, now in its ninth month. He has rejected the impeachment effort as political theatre and defended his record, including military recruitment, the defence industrial base and the removal of diversity initiatives.
Trump’s support keeps Hegseth in place for now, but it does not settle the question. The White House has also been linked to possible changes involving General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Admiral Brad Cooper, the Centcom chief, both of whom have provided guidance on the war.
Rubio’s position looks less exposed in the immediate dispute. He says he wants to remain in the administration through the end of Trump’s term, and both the White House and State Department have rejected reports that he may leave.
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