Trump dismisses prospect of replacing Hegseth, says defence secretary is 'doing a great job'

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would remain in his job. Dismissing the possibility of replacing Hegseth, Trump told reporters that he was "doing a great job."

Trump's remarks came as he himself acknowledged that the war with Iran had contributed to Republicans' sweeping midterm losses. At the same time, Democrats are preparing to use their new congressional majority to potentially investigate the Pentagon chief.

Trump was also asked about speculation that Hegseth is eyeing Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn's soon-to-be-vacated Tennessee seat. In reply, Trump predicted that the defense secretary would be "very popular" in the state.

Blackburn won Tennessee's gubernatorial race on Tuesday. She declined to weigh in on who might be picked to fill her Senate seat. Asked who would be appointed, she said, "It's not a conversation for today."

Republicans are now grappling with the political fallout from the eight-month war with Iran. The war has driven up gas prices and fuelled voter frustration over the cost of living. The war and its economic consequences are widely seen as a major factor in Republicans' crushing midterm defeat.

Trump told reporters, "The Iran thing we had to do, and we continue to do it." He added that he believes the war will be worth it in the long term.

In April, Hegseth declared a "historic and overwhelming victory" over Iran. But fighting has continued for months since then, killing and wounding American troops, driving up energy costs and consuming expensive US munitions that could take years to replace.

According to his spokesperson, Hegseth intends to remain at the Pentagon through the end of Trump's term. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told ABC News on Wednesday, "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 added that Hegseth is "100% committed to leading the Department until the end of President Trump's term in office."

Meanwhile, according to sources familiar with the situation, Trump has privately sought input from Republicans close to the White House about how they feel Hegseth is doing in the job, as the administration grapples with the political consequences of the war and the election.

Democrats say they are preparing to use their new congressional majority to scrutinise an administration that has faced limited oversight during the past two years, with Hegseth expected to be a major target for scrutiny and possible impeachment. Democrats could use their subpoena power to attempt to question Pentagon officials about the Iran war, the legality of strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats and Hegseth's unexplained firings of senior military officers.

Party leaders, however, are also looking to keep affordability at the forefront of their agenda, balancing investigations into the Trump administration with the economic concerns that helped deliver their sweeping midterm wins.

Vice President JD Vance, who has been widely viewed as a possible contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028, distanced himself from the conflict. In a social media post on Wednesday, he said, "The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night." He added that Republicans could defend the decision to go to war, but should not ignore the electoral consequences, and that anyone arguing it was worth losing the Senate for the next six years should make that case honestly.

According to ABC News Voter Poll data, 34% of US House voters said the war in Iran was "crucial" to their vote, while 49% said the same about the cost of living and 55% said government corruption was crucial to their vote.