Trump says Hegseth doing ‘a very good job’ as questions swirl about Defense Secretary’s future
WASHINGTON
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questions → say → future
- US President Donald Trump backed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Nov 4, a day after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in midterm elections that reflected voter anger over the Iran war.
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that → back → war
Asked whether he was considering replacing Hegseth, whom he has described as a champion of the war, Trump told reporters: “No, I think he’s doing a very good job.”
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he → ask → job
The response contrasted with then-President George Bush, who fired Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld the morning after the 2006 midterm elections, when voter discontent over the Iraq war helped Democrats win control of Congress.
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Democrats → contrast → Congress
But sources said Trump could still replace Hegseth as Republicans assess their losses.
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Republicans → say → losses
One Trump adviser said Hegseth “could be on the chopping block” because of the war.
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Hegseth → say → war
“Someone is going to get blamed for this and you know it’s not going to be him (Trump),” the adviser said.
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adviser → go → this
Trump has described Hegseth as a key proponent of the unpopular conflict, saying on March 23: “Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up, and you said, ‘Let’s do it, because you can’t let them have a nuclear weapon’.”
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them → describe → weapon
On Nov 4, Vice-President JD Vance publicly questioned whether the Iran war was worth it and said it cost Republicans control of Congress.
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it → question → Congress
Asked for comment, the White House referred Reuters to Trump’s public remarks on Hegseth.
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House → ask → Hegseth
The Defense Department said Hegseth was “100% committed” to leading the Pentagon until the end of Trump’s term, which ends on Jan 20, 2029.
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which → say → Jan
Hegseth has been a polarising figure in American politics and has made enemies even within his own Republican Party.
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Hegseth → polarise → Party
One Republican lawmaker, US Representative Thomas Massie, even filed articles of impeachment against him earlier this year, accusing him of abusing his office by launching hostilities against Iran without approval by Congress.
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lawmaker → file → Congress
Republican US Senator Thom Tillis told CBS news on Nov 3 that Hegseth has “a reckoning” coming and his strained relationship with lawmakers was undermining the Trump administration’s push for a US$1.5 trillion defence spending package in Congress.
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relationship → tell → Congress
“I think after the election, we need to determine whether or not he’s the best person to bring those needs to Congress if he wants something done before the end of this Congress, which is only 60 days away,” Tillis said as the midterm results came in.
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results → think → Congress
Democrats have promised to investigate Hegseth and his handling of the Pentagon, and aides say that could include everything from his handling of the Iran war to his purges of top military officers including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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that → promise → Staff
He could also face scrutiny over his Ukraine policy and US military strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats in Latin American waters, which some Democrats say could amount to war crimes.
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Democrats → face → crimes
At times, the conflict between Hegseth and members of Congress has become personal.
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conflict → become → Congress
Last year, Hegseth sought to prosecute Democratic US Senator Mark Kelly after he and five other Democrats in Congress with backgrounds in the military and intelligence urged US troops to refuse illegal orders.
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he → seek → orders
Hegseth accused them of sedition.
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Hegseth → accuse → sedition
Representative Adam Smith, the Democrat who is expected to lead the House Armed Services Committee next year, promised vigorous oversight on everything from the Iran war to what he called the erosion of the “apolitical foundation of the armed forces”.
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he → expect → forces
A source familiar with the matter said rancour on Capitol Hill over Hegseth has featured in White House discussions about potential replacements for him, saying there would be a need to have someone in the job who could distance themselves from events under Democratic scrutiny.
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who → say → scrutiny
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth would continue to drive Trump’s agenda and that the Pentagon “has followed the law”.
“Secretary Hegseth will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points or launch phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists,” Parnell said.
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Parnell → say → investigations
One long-rumoured possibility for Hegseth would be filling the Senate seat that will be vacated by Senator Marsha Blackburn, who was elected on Nov 3 to become Tennessee’s next governor starting in January.
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who → rumour → January
She has four years left in her term, and Hegseth, a Tennessee resident who voted there on Nov 3, could be appointed to the position, without having to run for election.
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who → have → election
Asked whether he wanted Hegseth to fill Blackburn’s seat, Trump said: “Well, I think, I think he’s doing a very good job, and I actually think he’d be very popular if he did that.”
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he → ask → that
“But I haven’t heard that at all,” Trump told reporters.
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Trump → hear → reporters
Trump has regularly praised Hegseth publicly, and has given the former Army National Guard soldier significant leeway as he sought to reshape the Pentagon.
But last month, Trump publicly split with Hegseth by pulling the plug on the Secretary’s plans to livestream the Army’s firing-squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan.
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Trump → praise → Hasan
Many fellow Republicans, along with religious leaders and international observers, raised objections to the plan.
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Republicans → raise → plan
Defence officials privately expressed relief that the livestreaming would not go forward.
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livestreaming → express → relief
The Aporia
