Trump hasn't decided. He has, however, raised the question of keeping Pete Hegseth in the Pentagon with close advisers and during phone calls, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter reported by CBS News. The timing is deliberate. Republicans just took a massive hit in the midterms, and the administration is scrambling to find a scapegoat for the political fallout. The Iran war is the flashpoint.
Vice President JD Vance didn't mince words. On Wednesday morning, he posted on X: "The reason we lost is the war." That comment strips the ambiguity from the internal deliberations. It suggests the conflict isn't just a policy failure; it's a political liability that Trump is trying to contain. Sources indicate the scrutiny doesn't stop at the Secretary of Defense. Adm. Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are also on the radar for potential criticism over their advisory roles in the Iran engagement.
The replacement talk is already circulating. One source pointed to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a candidate who could secure Senate confirmation during the lame-duck session, taking over after his term ends on January 5. It’s a speculative move, but it signals that the White House is look ahead to the next four years, not just the next election. Yet, when reporters cornered Trump on Wednesday afternoon, he deflected. "No, I think he's doing a very good job," he said.
The public messaging is a tightrope walk. White House Spokeswoman Anna Kelly issued a statement reaffirming Trump's "full confidence" in Hegseth, praising his efforts to dismantle "DEI and woke ideology" from the previous Biden administration. She defended the military operations in Iran and Venezuela, framing them as necessary corrections. But the political reality on the ground is shifting. Democrats, now poised to hold strong majorities in both chambers of Congress, are already preparing impeachment proceedings against Hegseth.
Trump also brushed off the idea of moving Hegseth to the Senate seat vacated by Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, who is set to become governor. "I actually think he'd be very popular if he did that," Trump said, adding he "haven't heard that at all." The next move likely hinges on the lame-duck session. If the administration decides to strike while the iron is hot, a nomination for DeSantis or another figure could land on the Senate desk before the year closes, forcing a rapid confirmation battle before January 5.