Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth rejects calls for his removal

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing renewed calls from Congress for his removal, amid the fallout from the Iran war, which Republican lawmakers blame for their party losing control of both chambers of Congress in this week's midterm elections, while the White House denied that Hegseth or Secretary of State Marco Rubio were about to leave their posts, according to BBC Arabic.

US media have reported calls to replace Hegseth, particularly over his handling of the Iran war, said to have cost the Republican party heavy losses in the election. In this context, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, one of President Donald Trump's sharpest critics, said he would file his resolution to impeach the defense secretary early next week, recommending on X that Trump replace Hegseth before the new Democratic-controlled Congress is seated in January, writing: "He should do that while he can still ensure Senate confirmation of replacements."

Why has the Iran war become a political burden for Trump?

Trump and Vice President JD Vance blamed the Iran war, now in its ninth month, for the losses that handed Democrats full control of the House and Senate; Vance himself publicly questioned, according to France 24, the value of a war he says cost Republicans control of Congress. Pressure on Hegseth increased after Republican Senator Tom Tillis warned that his strained relations with lawmakers threaten the administration's $1.5 trillion defense spending package. Critics also point to his firing of several senior military officials, his Ukraine policy, and US strikes on boats suspected of smuggling drugs in Latin American waters, which some Democrats say could amount to war crimes.

In response, Hegseth posted a video denouncing what he called "fake impeachment articles" from "an angry, defeated congressman, aided by his Democratic allies," saying: "They are attacking me, and attacking us, because we are getting real results. Their effort will not succeed, and we will not back down." He highlighted achievements including reviving military recruitment and rebuilding the defense industrial base.

What did the Washington Post reveal about military commanders?

In a sign that the circle of potential changes is widening, the Washington Post reported that Trump may consider firing Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), both of whom played a central role advising on the Iran war that erupted eight months ago. Trump, however, said in a phone interview with ABC News that he had received "calls about" Hegseth, while affirming he has a "firm intention" to keep him in his post, later telling reporters at the White House that Hegseth "did a great job," citing among his achievements the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro this past January. There were also reports of Hegseth's own interest in running for a vacant US Senate seat in Tennessee.

Rubio denies plans to run for president in 2028

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied reports that he is considering leaving his post to run for the presidency in 2028, telling the New York Times that working with Trump until the end of his term had "always been part of my plan," adding: "I love the work I do. I always laugh when they say he's going to leave his position; I wonder, which position do they mean?" The White House and the State Department also denied the reports, calling them "fake news." According to BBC Arabic, the defense secretary's political future looks more uncertain than Rubio's, while House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has publicly questioned why Hegseth is still in his post, pledging to open investigations into his management of the Pentagon.